The Pastor's Pen

live in a mansion; some would describe our home as a small bungalow- yet it was a safe haven, a sanctuary of peace and we were grateful. For years, we did not have a car, but we were healthy and strong enough to walk to most places and yes, we were grateful. Our mother labored in strenuous, low-paying work, but she provided a home for her daughters, and she ensured that food was always on the table. And you know what? Mom was grateful. We grew up as thankful children because our mother taught us to be thankful. She taught us that gratitude was not shaped by what we had, wore, or could do. Our gratitude was shaped by our awareness of God. Our thankfulness was toward the God who blessed us with new life (2 Cor. 5:17), the God who granted us new days filled with new mercies (Lam. 3:22-23), the God who kept us safe every sing day (Ps. 121:7-8). Our thankfulness was toward the God who provided for us when resources were limited, who was with us when circumstances were tight, who never withdrew His presence even when life felt narrow. Gratitude became our lens, our language, and our lived testimony.

​

            Gratitude is the recognition of God as the Source- Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides (Gen. 22:14). It is the humble confession that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Gratitude does not deny hardship; it prophesies through it. It declares that God is faithful before the breakthrough, present in the wilderness, and sovereign in all things. It transforms memory into worship and struggle into testimony. Kingdom Walkers, we practice gratitude because it aligns us with Heaven’s reality. Gratitude unlocks spiritual perception, reminding us that abundance in God’s Kingdom is not measured by possession but by presence. When Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish, He did not begin with complaint- He began with thanksgiving (John 6:11). In giving thanks, He activated a miracle. Gratitude is a catalytic force; it expands what is offered, multiplies what seems insufficient, and opens the door for Kingdom manifestation. Gratitude also forms humility within us. It positions us to acknowledge that we are recipients of grace, not manufacturers of our own blessings (Eph. 2:8-9). It silences entitlement, dismantles comparison, and uproots discontent. In a world that equates worth with wealth, gratitude keeps our eyes fixed on the One who is our portion and our cup (Ps. 16:5).

​

            Finally, gratitude is prophetic. When we give thanks, we are declaring by faith that God is working even when we cannot yet see His hand. Thanksgiving is a warfare weapon that shifts atmospheres, breaks heaviness, and calls forth the future God has ordained. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving” (Ps. 100:4) is not just an invitation- it is an access code into divine encounter. Therefore, we walk in gratitude- not because our lives have been perfect, but because our God has been. From childhood until now, gratitude remains my testimony and my Kingdom posture. It is the song of those who know they have been kept, carried, and crowned by the faithfulness of God. Beloved, are you singing a song of gratitude today?