Do you remember your prayers from last year? 2 years ago? 10? Give yourself a moment and consider your current life situation. It may not be exactly what you want but some aspects are sure to better than they were prior. Whether that may be your financials, maturity level, relationships, spiritual journey, or mental health, different elements have improved over the past few years.
It takes no effort to continually compare yourself on where you want to end up or where you don't want to go back to; however, how often do we relish in the moment that we're presently in? You can currently be living in your past prayers without you even knowing it. God may not answer every prayer we have immediately but He surely is still answering prayers.
Increasing & Expressing Your Gratitude
Every day that we are given by God should not be taken for granted. We should wake up and thank the God of all creation for the opportunity to live out another day in his image, in his grace because someone was not given this same opportunity. Do not become so consumed in what you currently have that you forget the times when you didn't.
Gratitude opens our hearts to God's peace and shows love to Him, in comparison to discontent people who constantly dwell on everything that may be going wrong and negatively comparing themselves to others. Before you embark on your daily routines, reflect on God's goodness in your life and all the reasons you have to be grateful for.
The following scriptures encourage us continually praise the Lord for all that He's done in our lives, taking inventory of our lives and improve our attitude towards gratitude.
1 Chronicles 16:7-36 NIV
These scriptures describe ways how we can express true thanksgiving. These ways are remembering what God has done, telling others about it, showing His glory to others and offering yourself, time and resources. These are further explained in Showing God You'reThankful.
Psalms 92:1-5 NIV
"It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts."
Psalms 138
This psalm is important in giving thanks to God for answering our prayers. He will always deliver us from our situations and carry out His great plans for us if we let Him.
Colossians 3:16-17 NIV
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Reflection
It may be difficult at first but never forget to be grateful and live in the present. God has brought you so far in so many different areas in your life that it can easily go overlooked. Remember all those prayers where you may have been worrisome or fearful that you now are graciously living in. Before we ask and pray for more, take time to thank God for all that He's done and is still doing in your life because He still and is always listening to his faithful followers.
What are some answered prayers that you are currently living in? Comment below!
Here, we're not just made in His image, we live in it!