What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?

Gratitude, appreciation, giving thanks, and praise is an important daily ritual. it helps us realize the blessings we do have in our lives and acknowledges that there is good in our day to day midst chaos and stress. Offering up gratitude opens our heart and our eyes to the beauty that exists around us. There is so much good in the world around us and we need only to be actively willing to recognize it.

Even in the broken moments when we feel less than or stressed or even hopeless, good still exists around us. Whether it’s taking the time to recognize the flowers starting to bloom with spring, being grateful for a good cup of coffee in the morning to start the day, or getting through all of the stoplights without hitting a single red light, goodness exists. When you feel at your lowest, darkest, or grossest moment, stop and take a moment to grab a piece of paper and make a list of the beauty and blessings around you in that moment. By being grateful for the little things, you can’t help but start feeling better about your situation. If anything it reminds you that this too shall pass and that there is beauty in every moment even the hardest ones too.

Be still and know that God is fighting for you, working behind the scenes to show you his goodness, blessings, and love. We just need to stop and take notice. He is trying to get your attention and has been for some time. He is there in the tears, in the laughter, the warmth of the sunshine on your back, the bloom of a rose, the bright smile of a stranger, and deep conversations with friends.

Give thanks for God is good and his love endures forever (Psalm 106:1). Give thanks because God has given us gifts every day. We just need to take the time to unwrap them.