Taking God for Granted?

"How quickly we forget God's great deliverances in our lives. How easily we take for granted the miracles he performed in our past."   - David Wilkerson

We take much for granted in our lives. Need proof? Here are a few examples: eating, smoking, drinking too much, not getting enough sleep and exercise, etc. These things affect our physical and mental well-being. While we're at it, let's not leave out taking our spouses, families, and friends for granted, too.

You might recognize these symptons under different names, such as: complacency, apathy, unresponsiveness, being unemotional and/or unconcerned. No matter how you slice it, taking things for granted seems to be an attitude that affects all of us at some point. We don't think about them until something goes wrong.

Sometimes, it's easy to take God for granted as well. In his book, Flecks of Gold on a Path of Stone: Simple Truths for Profound Living, Craig D. Lounsbrough says, “God would have us cherish even the smallest of blessings, for in taking a blessing for granted we are well on our way to taking it to its grave.”

By taking God for granted, whether intentionally or not, we are sending the message that we are unthankful; and not giving him the full praise that he so rightly deserves. The Pharisees were good examples of this. They took the lillies of the field for granted (Matthew 6:28). They took it for granted that if a woman was caught in sin, the proper God-appointed thing to do was to stone her to death (John 8:5-7).

Fortunately, the Lord was not like this in that he never took common things for granted. He considered everything under the same light; both the usual and the uncommon. He could see the glory of the mundane, whether it was the sinning woman, the sparrow, or the mustard seed. All were equally glorious in his sight.

One of the major faults in humanity is the ease in which we can take things for granted, including God. In fact, it is very contagious and can spread quickly if we are not diligent. However, God is never guilty of this. He never takes us for granted.

It wouldn't hurt to try and imitate him in this respect. Always remember that whatever we possess came from God. We should do no less than love the Lord our God more than all else. We should never let anyone or anything steer us toward becoming complacent, or into neglecting Him. Let us never take God for granted!

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Psalm 136:1; Job 1:21; Hebrews 12:28; James 1:17

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessings that you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. Lord. I also pray that you always remind me of  how lucky I am, and that I never forget to show my gratitude to you. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Valleree