We are conditioned to constantly pursue the next thing. But if we take time to slow down, there is great joy to be found in what we already have, says Gemma Hunt
In a world that constantly encourages you to strive for more, achieve more and become more, there’s something wonderfully freeing about gratitude.
We are often told that happiness is waiting just beyond the next promotion, purchase or milestone. Yet in our striving, we can easily forget to appreciate what we already have.
I was reminded of this recently when I took a friend to a hospital appointment. Sitting in the waiting room, I found myself feeling genuinely grateful for the NHS. Yes, it has its challenges, but the fact remains that, in the UK, we can all access healthcare whenever we need it.
Having worked with Christian organisations such as Compassion and Tearfund, I have seen some of the heartbreaking challenges that people face in other parts of the world. Meeting those who have very little, yet remain generous, hopeful and full of faith has a way of putting life into perspective. It reminds me that gratitude is not about pretending things are perfect. It is about recognising God’s goodness in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
When we see need around us, our instinct is often to ask what we can do to help. Yet giving does not always have to mean money. For many people, finances are already stretched. But generosity comes in many forms. I am reminded of the widow in 1 Kings 17. She had only a handful of flour and a little oil left, enough for one final meal for herself and her son. Yet she chose to share what she had with Elijah. God honoured her faith and provided abundantly. Her story reminds us that God is interested not simply in what we give, but how we give it.
God is interested not simply in what we give, but how we give it
Sometimes generosity looks like practical help, giving our time or simply paying attention to the people around us. It might be holding a door open for someone struggling with their shopping. It might be pausing to help a parent juggling a pushchair and a tired toddler. It might be choosing patience over frustration when someone is moving more slowly than we would like. These small acts may seem insignificant, but they can make a real difference.
As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of everything God has entrusted to us. That includes our money, time, gifts, resources and opportunities. Gratitude helps us become better stewards because when we truly value what we have, we are less focused on what we lack. In Philippians 4:12, the apostle Paul wrote that he had “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (my italics). Contentment doesn’t always come naturally in a culture built on comparison, but like Paul, we can practise it.
Perhaps gratitude is learned in the same way – by choosing, day after day, to notice God’s blessings. By caring well for what He has given us. By looking for opportunities to bless others from the abundance we already possess. That is my challenge to myself, and to you, too. Before we focus on what we want next, let us pause and thank God for what we already have.
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