Day 28: Gratitude

There is something about simplifying and seeking the Kingdom first that allows “all these things” to be added unto us – clothing, food, homes, etc. given by God Himself. Simplicity acknowledges God as the ultimate Gift giver. <–Click to tweet.

Even the excess is a gift. In my life, I’ve found the excess to be Given as a wake up call. The bounty has forced me not to overlook it and it piles up and over in my life. It must be acknowledged. Often I have seen it as a burden instead of a Gift, but my excess allows me to minister in the face of others’ poverty. <–Click to tweet.

I attended Allume this weekend, and while I will tell you more detail about that in other blog post after I finish my series, I will briefly mention it today and in tomorrow’s post. For today, while I was at Allume, I was made more aware of the gift of life God has given me because He purposefully placed me in the path of those who are clamoring for the freedom I have in Him. My friend Dolly Lee recently went to Guatemala with Potter’s House (PH), and PH has listed 8 forms of poverty (click over to her post for more detail):

1. spiritual poverty
2. intellectual poverty
3. poverty of affection
4. poverty of the will
5. physical poverty
6. poverty of a support network
7. poverty of civic involvement
8. economic poverty

Do you have spiritual excess? Do you know God and know things you can teach about Him? Then you have been given gifts to give to those who are spiritually impoverished.

Do you have intellectual excess? Do you have knowledge? Better yet do you know the Truth? Then you have been given extra gifts to give Truth to those who are intellectually impoverished.

Have you been placed in a home or environment where you receive an abundance of affection? If you are loved and you know it, then you’ve been given a gift in which you can give to those who are impoverished in love and affection.

Are you free? Truly free? – then you have the ability to give freedom to others.

Are you healthy? Then you can give to those who are physically impoverished by lack of food and healthcare.

Do you have relationships with others? a family? a network or networks of friends that support and care for you when needed? Then you can be a family for someone who doesn’t have one.

Are you involved in your community? Do you volunteer at your child’s school? or in your neighborhood? Do you involve yourself in your environment? Then you can call others to action because you recognize needs.

Do you have an abundance of financial resources? Then you can provide for the financially impoverished.

Our abundance meets others lack. <–Click to tweet.

What happens is that we begin to recognize God as the Giver of all things. Through simplicity, we find where we have excess and because we see all things as gifts, gratitude swells. There is never excess gratitude. Gratitude is meant to dwell in our abundance so that it spills into the lack of others and their gratitude swells. <– Click to tweet. Gratitude never compares but gives in thanks.

This post is one in a series of posts of 31 days of simplicity. To read other posts in the series, click the icon below:

Photo Credit: Sharon Mollerus

Linking up in these places: Michelle, Modest Mom, Ann, Laura, Better Mom, Carissa, and Laura.