Grateful Heart, Gritty Faith

How refreshed I am by Your blessings! PSALM 92:10 TLB  

Have you ever started a gratitude journal? It’s a way to put yourself in the good habit of writing down five things you’re grateful for every day. And it’s one of the best ways to be mindful of how many beautiful things God puts in our lives—things we forget to give attention to or routinely take for granted. His goodness is all around us all the time, but we still fall human and lose sight of His constant and caring presence. With a gratitude journal we can go through and see God’s nearness and faithfulness time and time again. We can smile big, stay thankful, and get a boost of confidence to walk out the door and overcome any fear or doubt in front of us. 

Our worries are short-lived if we rewind God’s victories in our lives. The one when He moved everything into place at the right time for the job we needed, or the time when a friend called with every word we needed to hear when we needed to hear it, or the time when we were holding onto our last thread of hope and God provided more than enough. God shows up when we refuse to give up. He honors a grateful heart and a gritty faith. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 CHRONICLES 16:9 NKJV). God will not fail us! 

Every blessing He’s given us is a source of spiritual refreshment and strength for our soul. They’re the tangible, touchable things that grow our faith and build our courage for what’s ahead. His blessings will keep coming, as will our trials. But knowing we’ll meet the trials with a strong heart that is loyal to God means we have nothing to fear. He’s watching closely to show Himself strong on our behalf! That’s a refreshing blessing. 

Father, my faith is strengthened by every blessing You give and every promise You keep. Thank You for being my strong fortress and loving me completely. 

This is an excerpt from The Beach is Calling: 90 Devotions for Rest & Relaxation – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.