Debbie's Thoughts on Gratitude for Real this Time

SEEING THE MIRACLE THROUGH EYES OF GRATITUDE.

 

 

Inspired by Elder Eyring's talk in the October 2007 conference I started a practice of writing down ways that I see the hand of the Lord in my life each day.  It has been a beautiful practice that ultimately has helped me to realize how involved He really is in our lives. As I look back on my journal entries I can see clearly that God is a God of miracles. In Mormon 9:19 we learn that God has always been a God of miracles. "And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles."

So what does this have to do with Gratitude? Elder Eyring says it best from his own experience. "Before I would write, I would ponder this question: 'Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?' As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.

More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened." As we can see from Elder Eyring's experience, our gratitude will increase as we take the time to stop and notice all the Lord has done for us. As we notice all the Lord has done for us we can not help but notice that all those little tender mercies are His miracles in our lives. Therefore, we are seeing His miracles through eyes of gratitude.

            I have a great love for my Savior. His enabling power is real. I have felt it and recorded it in my journal entries. Some days I am in pain and all I can do is kneel down and ask for help to get out the door and go grocery shopping. Without fail I receive strength. It rarely happens until I have exerted my own best efforts and then He takes over and makes the rest of the task easier. My journal is full of stories like this. It is full of evidence of His enabling power. It is full of miracles. Though they may seem small, they are gifts just for me and for that I AM GRATEFUL!!!!

I bare testimony that Jesus Christ lives! He loves us! He wants us to see how important we are to Him.  His miracles are evident in our lives everyday, we just have to take the time to notice and then thank Him for them.

 

 

 

"He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" (D&C 78:19).