Sowing Seeds of Gratitude: A Discipline for the Soul -2

Dear readers, let us turn our gaze today toward a truth so simple, yet so profoundly powerful that it serves as the foundation for a vibrant existence with the Eternal King. We are called not merely to feel gratitude when circumstances align, but to cultivate it as a mighty spiritual discipline. Pastor Sam Merigala, in his stirring sermon, "Seeds of Gratitude," calls us to a daily reckoning: How have you been waking up?.

The question is sincere, not complicated: Is gratitude on the tip of your tongue, or are other, lesser voices occupying the sanctuary of your mind? Let us dive deep into the revelation that this humble practice of Morning Thanksgiving is not a minor footnote in the life of faith, but a foundational pillar that holds the power to entirely renew our lives.

Gratitude: A Foundation, Not an Ornament

When we contemplate the spiritual disciplines - prayer, fasting, and the deep reading of Holy Scripture - they rightly leap to mind. Yet, Pastor Sam Merigala exhorts us with unmistakable clarity: we must not deceive ourselves; gratitude is also one of these pillars. It is not a fleeting emotion or a charming accessory, likened to "a golden ornament on the shelf of faith," but rather an integral "part of the foundation that sustains life with God".

This discipline is essential, not something extra. And what does the Lord, like a loving Father, require of this essential practice? Not the "eloquence of our words," but the absolute "truth of our hearts". A sincere, even simple, declaration - "Thank you, Lord, for another day" - is enough, provided it issues forth from a genuine place. Just a few minutes of gratitude, genuine and turned upward, can be like a "drop of perfume that perfumes the entire day," setting a celestial tone for all that follows.

To understand the depth of this mandate, we must turn to the Apostle Paul’s divine instruction in Colossians 2:7: "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness". Observe the placement of gratitude here: it is not mere decoration, but the very "fruit of one who is rooted in Christ". Pastor Sam Merigala beautifully illustrates this divine principle: just as a tree secures and strengthens itself by deepening its roots in the rich earth, so too is the Christian "established by overflowing with gratitude". Therefore, being grateful transcends merely being a response to what God has done; it is a vital and active "way of remaining in him".

Watering the Roots Before the Strong Sun

The intentional choice to begin the day with thanksgiving is a deeply strategic spiritual maneuver. Pastor Sam Merigala likens this practice to "watering these spiritual roots before the strong sun of life comes to dry us out". It is a deliberate cultivation of a sacred habit, a profound act of "planting something small but with deep roots that shapes our entire journey with God". Each morning presents us with a sovereign choice: we choose to give thanks, training our hearts to recognize "even in shadows the brightness of divine goodness".

This practice, repeated with sincerity and faithfulness, achieves a critical spiritual alignment, tuning our hearts to the "will and character of him who is unchanging in love".

The Psalmist provides the sacred architectural blueprint for entering the divine presence: "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4). Pastor Sam Merigala draws our attention to the essential order: gratitude is the entrance gate. We do not commence with asking or with the highest forms of worship; we commence with recognition and thanksgiving. By doing this early in the morning, we are intentionally placing our feet upon "the sacred territory of God's presence". Even before the giants of the day loom large, we are already standing under the protective "gaze of him who reigns over all of them". We begin the day with the triumphant declaration, "You are God and I belong to you," and this, my friends, changes everything.

Consider the powerful example of Paul and Silas in Acts 16. Wounded, chained, and enveloped by the darkness of the prison, they did not murmur; they sang, they prayed, and they gave thanks. The prison’s chains did not silence their praise, but "their praise shook the prison". While we may not experience physical earthquakes, we must believe in the eternal truth that praise, "even whispered through tears, still moves heaven and opens paths". Pastor Sam Merigala assures us: our thanksgiving possesses "more power than we suppose".

The Spiritual Weapon Against the Subtle Poison

Thanksgiving is far more than a "polite response to good received"; it is, in fact, a formidable "spiritual weapon". It operates "like lighting a lamp in a dark room," suddenly granting us the vision to "see what was always there". Gratitude opens our spiritual eyes to the "God's movements that without it we would miss," transforming the common aspects of our daily existence into something sacred and revealing the invisible hand of the Almighty.

Conversely, the sermon shines a stark, illuminating light upon the "soul's most subtle evils: ingratitude". In Romans 1:21, Paul describes a slow, fatal spiritual descent. Notice well, as Pastor Sam Merigala points out, that the "beginning of spiritual darkness was not a scandalous sin" in the modern sense; it was the sheer neglect of gratitude. It was the failure to acknowledge God as God and to thank Him. This neglect led to "futile thinking" and a heart that became spiritually "darkened". Without this vital discipline, we become tragically vulnerable to the dark trilogy of "bitterness, complaint, and idolatry of the self".

But when we choose, intentionally and with determination, to give thanks - particularly at the break of day - we take a resolute step "toward light". We confront our inner darkness with the "lit torch of faith". This practice constructs a spiritual "wall around the heart, a protection against the subtle poison of ingratitude". We proclaim with holy firmness, "even when I don't feel, I know, even when I don't see, I believe". This choice is a discipline, a "way of loving God with the will and not just with feeling".

An Anchor Cast Before the Storm

The true mettle of this practice is tested most severely when the "contrary winds blow," when weariness, pain, or frustration seek to seize the very throne of the soul. Our natural, fallen inclination in these agonizing hours is to murmur, rebel, or give up. But when gratitude has been diligently cultivated as a habit, it becomes "an anchor cast before the storm". Even amidst the "churning (tossing) waters," we have a sure place to anchor the heart.

In these excruciating moments, surrendering the will we have so fiercely claimed as our own is painful. Yet, Pastor Sam Merigala defines this gratitude in affliction not as a fleeting emotion, but as a "living sacrifice, a secret altar where the soul surrenders". We find our example in the Prophet Habakkuk, who, facing profound devastation - drought, loss, and the absence of fruit - declared something that "tears heaven with hope": "yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Habakkuk 3:18). There was no harvest in his fields, but there was an unwavering, conscious decision in his spirit. He rejoiced not in the shifting circumstances, but in the immutable character of God.

When we choose to begin our day with thanksgiving, we echo this same eternal declaration: "today, before any news, before any pain, I choose to trust". This choice may not immediately rearrange the world around us, but it radically "changes the world within us" - a change that is often the "miracle we most need".

This gratitude is anchored not in our passing comfort or what we happen to possess, but fundamentally "from who God is". As it is written in 1 Chronicles 16:34, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever". By starting our day rooted in the reminder that God is "unchangingly good and merciful," we establish our hearts upon the Rock that does not change, ensuring that life's shifting changes do not shake us as much. A grateful heart, having sought water before the drought, better resists the spiritual dryness of trials.

This confidence allows us to heed James’ astonishing challenge to "Consider it pure joy... whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2). This joy is not a giddy euphoria, but a quiet firmness, a profound confidence that flourishes even in hard soil, knowing that the testing of our faith yields perseverance.

The Expanding Circles

The practice of morning thanksgiving is not designed to be limited to that brief, sacred moment; it is the "first note of a melody that echoes throughout the day". It generates "expanding circles". As we begin to count our blessings, something profound changes in our gaze. We become "sensitive to discrete mercies and joys that arrive without announcement," trained by our morning commitment to expect goodness from the God who is good.

This cultivated gratitude shapes not only who we are internally, but critically, how we love. A soul that chooses to view life through this divine lens reflects a powerful light. Pastor Sam Merigala reminds us of Proverbs 15:30: "Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart". When our eyes seek blessings instead of burdens, carrying the memory of God’s goodness like a lit torch, that light will "illuminate the faces around you".

A grateful spirit naturally tends toward gentleness; it is not easily hurried, is patient with the weaknesses of others, and is slow to take offense because it has already recognized the profound mercy received at dawn. This posture is profoundly contagious, capable of lifting others like a "gentle breeze that relieves in the heat of day".

This overflowing nature of thanksgiving impacts every sphere:

1. In Relationships and Home: Paul instructs us to be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything" (Ephesians 5:20). Gratitude should not be a "brief morning spark, but a flame that burns all day long". When we give thanks for our loved ones - not just their qualities, but their very presence - the relational tone softens, leading to "more tenderness, listen[ing] with more attention, serve[ing] with more joy".
2. In the Work Environment: Gratitude acts as "oil poured on rusty gears". It softens and pacifies, making possible what seemed stuck. When we approach colleagues, even the difficult ones, with a grateful spirit, we are less inclined toward irritation and more prone to offer patience and understanding.
3. In Generosity and the Virtuous Circle: The grateful heart, remembering what it has received, is naturally "more prepared to give". As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:11, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God". Gratitude generates generosity, and generosity rekindles gratitude, forming a virtuous, life-giving cycle.
4. In Testimony and Mission: Perhaps the most profound overflow is in our witness to a hurting world. The world is accustomed to people who complain and buckle under pressure. But when they observe a Christian who, even "under pressure continues saying, 'Thank you, Lord,' this shines". Constant gratitude, especially in times of difficulty, preaches a "sermon that no word can reach". It transforms us into "lighthouses". This serenity awakens a holy curiosity in others, causing them to ask where this unshakeable hope originates. This opens the sacred door, as Peter commands, to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15). Pastor Sam Merigala concludes that beginning the day with thanksgiving is fundamentally a missionary act. It allows God's goodness to flow through us, not just for our own comfort, but so that others might be touched.

The Call to Bear the Light

My dear friends, a grateful heart is a strong heart. The one who begins the day declaring, "Thank you, Lord," builds an inward "shield against discouragement". Gratitude does not remove the challenges, but it imparts the courage needed to face them.

We are called to be bearers of this gratitude. We must allow the light we carry within our eyes, borne of thankfulness, to touch the hearts of others. Imagine the chain reaction that begins with the secret of the heart at God's feet, echoing outward to the edges of your routine.

As we cultivate this discipline, we are not just comforted, we are transformed into instruments of comfort. We are built up, and then we become builders. By looking at others with eyes trained by gratitude, we learn to see not just their flaws, but "what is beautiful, promising, redeemable". This shift in gaze makes us "less critical, more patient, more willing to love".

Let us commit then to making thanksgiving a constant practice, not as a burden, but "as a breath, like opening windows upon awakening, letting light enter". This decision to begin each day with sincere gratitude can be the initial breath of a "great transformation not only in your soul but in the lives of those God places in your path". May we be like lanterns in the Lord's hands, spreading His light, His love, and His incomparable joy wherever our feet may tread. Amen.