A Heart of Gratitude

My favorite author, Charles Dickens, once wrote, “Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” When I reflect the past year it’s so hard to remember the blessing before the misfortune. We finished the 2020 spring semester in a whirlwind of disappointment. As Proverbs aptly states, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick” (13:12). Yet, in that disappointment, God was gracious and began to lead me to truth and plant seeds of thankfulness in my heart. 

The disruption of normal life helped me to be grateful for small gifts from my heavenly Father. A good cup of coffee, a conversation with a friend, precious minutes for my devotions, or an afternoon in the sunshine became the highlights of each day. My friendships grew far more precious. The scarcity of faces caused me to value ones I did see. Going out or having people in were both luxuries I craved and valued more than ever before. 

I treasured newfound time to keep a personal journal and now benefit from re-reading those daily entries from the spring. The challenges of my life during that time mirror the challenges of today, but I can remember my God’s daily faithfulness clearly because of the journal.  

Before the pandemic, these things were normal, unimportant. But when the world is not normal, normal things are special. It took a sudden halting of my fast-paced life for me to see that God had blessed me in simple ways. In fact, God has filled my life with blessings. Though abnormality is slowly retreating from my life, the beauty of simplicity remains.  

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Author Bio

Lucie Drinkwater (’20) studied Biblical Counseling and is now working on her Masters of Education. Originally from Maine, she currently lives in Watertown and has enjoyed working for MBU for two years, first as a Dorm Supervisor, and now as an Applicant Advisor in the Admissions office.  This article first appeared in the Fall 2020 Maranatha Advantage.