Unlimited: Start With Gratitude | Good News Unlimited
Unlimited: Start with Gratitude
Mar 30, 2025 1528
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you (Romans 1:8a)
Having dealt with the important preliminaries, Paul begins his letter to the church in Rome. As is so characteristic for Paul, he begins with gratitude.
Paul thanks “God through Jesus Christ.” When we thank God it is through Jesus. Every reason that we have for gratitude is because of Jesus.
Without Jesus, what reason would we have to thank God? What would have been our reality without Jesus Christ?
Every reason that we have for gratitude is because of Jesus.
It is through Jesus Christ that we can also thank God for our fellow believers, as Paul does. It’s not always easy to be thankful for the people with whom we travel the Christian path. After all, they are all flawed and sinful human beings, just as we are. Yet through Jesus Christ, we can be exceedingly thankful for them.
The reason why we can be exceedingly thankful for our fellow believers is that they are our spiritual family. As with any family, if we are open to them, they will encourage and inspire us with their love. On the other hand, they will give us wonderful occasions to love the unlovable, and to refine our characters as we negotiate sometimes difficult human relationships in humility, acceptance, and grace.
Spiritual Application
Try starting your day with gratitude. After you’ve woken up, spend five minutes specifically thanking God. Don’t just say the words, mean it. Try it for seven days. It could change your outlook and you might just keep doing it!
