Although we don’t always acknowledge it, God is constantly at work in our lives. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says “The eyes of the LORD run through the earth, to show himself strong for those who trust him.” God is sovereign and all-knowing. He understands our actions, motives, and implications. Psalm 139:2 says “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” We tend to view situations based on immediate concerns where God views everything through the lens of eternity. We are often preoccupied with what provides immediate relief where God’s focus is what is ultimately best for our growth and maturity. Job 42:2 says “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

As God goes about His work, orchestrating situations according to His divine wisdom, we should try to pay attention to the myriad of ways He interacts with us. So often, we notice the unique way that issues are resolved – often better than we anticipate. However, we are also quick to label the smooth resolution as “luck” or “coincidence”. James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Whether it’s the mercy of not receiving as severe a penalty as we expect or the grace of receiving a blessing we didn’t anticipate, we need to acknowledge our heavenly Father at work in our lives and adopt an attitude of gratitude.

Gratitude should also extend and be an integral part of our prayer lives. Can you imagine being a parent, constantly providing for your child’s needs, being concerned about whatever troubles them, surprising them with unexpected treats and rewards, keeping them safe, watching over them constantly, even enlisting others to assist them, yet never receiving any acknowledgement or appreciation from the child whom you dearly love? It is the same way with our heavenly Father. In our prayer lives, we should begin simply by thanking God for all that He does for us. We can reflect and acknowledge the ways that God is actively working in our lives. We can ask God to open our heart and grant us godly wisdom regarding God Incidents: situations where the Lord changes circumstances to help us learn, grow, and ultimately to trust Him more vs. luck or coincidence where we displace such credit to generic entities. I encourage you to resolve in your heart to give God the glory for great things He has done.

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” -1 Thessalonians 3:12-13