Consistent

Psalm 37:²⁵ “I have been young, I was once inexperienced, and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken… Not once have I found a lover of God forsaken by him, or their seed begging bread… nor have any of their children gone hungry.” (AMPC & TPT)

The first thing that fuels and strengthens building and sustaining a stronghold of gratitude is The Grace He Has Shown You. The truth is when you understand the grace God has shown you, you cannot but be grateful to God. Where would you be if God gave you what you deserved in life? Who will you be if God gave you what you deserve? When we remember and understand the grace God has shown us, regardless of the circumstances, we are able to still be grateful because that is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. Understanding the grace, He has shown you is the first thing that fuels your stronghold, your capacity to stay protected with gratitude.

The second thing that fuels this building, keeps it strong, and keeps you being grateful is understanding The Plans That He Has For You. When you understand the plans that God has for you, when you understand that God actually has a plan for you and it is a good plan, you are grateful. You may be in a challenging situation, but you are grateful in that situation and not necessarily for that situation. You are grateful because you know that you are in God’s plan. The truth is that life is not always good. Life can be challenging, unfair, and even brutal. If you have lived long enough, you will know that life can be hard and sometimes even merciless.

However, while life is not always good, God is always good. God is not sometimes good. God is always good. Yes, earthquakes are killing thousands of innocent people. And that person does not deserve the things he or she is going through because of how good he or she is. Or perhaps you are saying, see what is going on in my life. However, the truth remains that God is always good. If you walk with God long enough, you will agree that this statement is a fact. God is always good. Are there seasons in your life where you will feel confused, overwhelmed, or perplexed even? Of course! Will there be seasons in your life where you will wonder what God is up to or wonder what is going on? Yes! If you walk with God long enough, you will look back and say, “Of a truth, God is always, always good!”

So, we can say that God is always good, even beyond the facts that are before us, the summation of our experiences, and our walk with God. Then we can say concerning what we are going through right now, and what we will go through, that God is always good. Be deliberate about sharing this truth with someone today. God is always good! Regardless of what we feel or what we are going through, God is always good!

Prayer (song): Dependable, dependable God. It doesn’t matter what comes my way, You are still God. Intentional, intentional God. Everything is working out for my good. Amen!