How to Best Cultivate Gratitude in the Wilderness
Have you ever received a word, vision, or dream placed in your heart from the Lord, or perhaps you’ve released a word of encouragement for others and then immediately found yourself in the wilderness, in the throws of what feels like the valley of the shadow of death?
This has been my recent journey. When I write Bible studies, they often come with a wrestle within my faith. The thing is, I’m writing because I’ve learned something the Lord would like me to share, but usually, if not always, more stretching and surrendering occurs on my part before it is released.
I had gained so much that I didn’t see the test coming when I released the word. I was compromised with a case of shingles, which was so painful. I almost couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening, especially when I felt so liberated by the word He had sown in me. Maybe you’ve experienced something similar.
However, the word He had given me was fuel for this moment; what was meant for evil produced something more fragrant than I couldn’t have expected.
Wilderness-Cultivated Gratitude
I learned gratitude is cultivated in the wilderness because it is where my heavenly Bridegroom courts me most intimately. He wooed me deeper into the secret place where I was removed from all distractions, allowed to hear my heart beat with His, and experienced the rhythms of His grace.
The Lord knew that I needed rest, and though He didn’t send the shingles, He used it to help me grow. He enlarged my faith, allowing me to take up the shield of faith and implement the teaching He gave me to share with others—for myself.
If you’ve walked with the Lord for any time or are a new believer, you may have heard that the wilderness is a time of bareness, even despair. But He completely changed my perspective this time around. Indeed, the wilderness became my oasis, and I am grateful. I see that He draws us with chords of love into His garden. We only need to accept His grace through thankfulness in the midst of the hardship to experience it.
Thankful for Deepening and Drawing
I choose to give thanks, for He is using all things to deepen my faith and draw me closer to His heart. Gratitude grows in me as I embrace the intimacy of His presence and trust His perfect plan.
Along with Charles Spurgeon, “I’ve learned to kiss the waves that throw me against the Rock of Ages.”
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
– Romans 5:3-5, NKJV
Affirmation:
In the wilderness, my heart overflows with gratitude for His nearness, refining work, and unending grace.
Meet Andrea Brown
Andrea Brown is a wife, mother, aspiring author, and scribe behind TheOneThing1. She hosts the podcast Seed for the Soul. Most importantly, she is a daughter of God.
Although Andrea has been a believer for years, she struggled between law and grace. Her life changed when she fully embraced the Gospel: that grace and truth come through Jesus Christ (John 1:17), and by His blood, she is made righteous before the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Andrea is captivated by Jesus and cannot help but write and speak about His finished work, which reveals the Father’s heart and unfailing love. The Passion is her passion. Transformed by beholding His beauty (2 Corinthians 3:18), she walks in the liberty of Christ and shares her journey to help others experience freedom and victory through Him alone.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
