Perspective with Michael Cochren

If you sit in a place of gratitude, you view what you have as unearned blessings poured out by a merciful and gracious God,” Christian artist, Michael of Cochren & Co. explained to Family Life Radio.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
– I Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

Michael Cochren noticed a big difference between “sitting in a posture of entitlement and sitting in a posture of gratitude.” Discontentment begins with your eyes and then creeps into your mind. You look around and notice someone has something nicer than you do. Or someone has a talent or a job you’d like to have. That becomes your focus. If you begin to dwell on that thing you don’t have, before you know it, you are surrounded by God’s goodness, but you are unhappy and ungrateful for what He has provided for you.

It honors God when you choose to be thankful for what He provides.

If you purposefully give thanks for what you have, your whole perspective begins to change. Psalm 50:14 says you are to “offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving” (ESV). The word sacrifice implies it won’t come naturally. Humans naturally tend to want more and better than what they already have.

With God’s help, you can choose to give up or sacrifice your desires in order to be thankful for what you have already received. This honors God and has the bonus of giving you peace as well.

Today’s One Thing
Ask God to help you make a list of at least five things you are thankful for in your life today. Tell Him how grateful you are for those specific things and explain why.

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