Perception Affects Our Gratitude

Have you ever noticed how two people can experience the exact same situation and walk away with completely different attitudes? One is frustrated and discouraged, while the other feels blessed and hopeful. What makes the difference?

More often than not, it’s perception.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

— Colossians 2:6–7 (NLT)

Years ago I read a line from Erwin McManus in Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul that has stayed with me:

“Perspective is not shaped in a vacuum; it is formed in the context of gratitude. An ungrateful person sees the glass as half-empty and wonders who is holding out on him. The grateful see the glass as half-full knowing that someone has shared with them more than they deserve.” (p. 124)

That truth is crucial on a day like Thanksgiving.

Gratitude shapes how we see the world. A grateful heart interprets life through the lens of God’s generosity. It breeds contentment, peace, and hope. The ungrateful heart, on the other hand, constantly believes it is missing out—always comparing, always wanting, always questioning God’s goodness.

If I’m honest, gratitude has not always come naturally to me.

There were many seasons when I looked at my life and wished it were different—different opportunities, different circumstances, different abilities. I wondered why things seemed to come so easily for others while I had to struggle. Underneath those thoughts was a quiet but poisonous question:

“Why is God holding out on me?”

That mindset robbed me of joy. It kept me from seeing the blessings right in front of me. And more importantly, it distracted me from becoming the person God created me to be.

The truth is, comparison and discontentment don’t just make us miserable—they blind us. They cause us to overlook the ways God has been faithfully working in our lives, providing what we need, shaping our character, and giving us opportunities to grow.

Even now, that temptation still pops up from time to time. Gratitude isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a daily practice. But over the years I’ve learned something crucial:

Gratitude opens my eyes to what God has already done.

Discontentment blinds me to it.

When I begin to thank God for the blessings, experiences, relationships, and abilities He has given me, I find peace replacing frustration, and trust replacing fear. I remember that God has not abandoned me—He is shaping me.

The apostle Paul understood this connection between gratitude and peace:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT)

Notice the connection: prayer with thanksgiving leads to God’s peace.

We often want the peace without the gratitude. We want God to calm our fears and quiet our worries while we continue to focus on what we don’t have. But Paul says peace comes as we turn our attention toward God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Worry, fear, and loneliness grow in the soil of ingratitude.

Peace grows in the soil of thanksgiving.

On this Thanksgiving Day, many of us will sit around tables filled with food, family, and tradition. But if our hearts remain focused on what we lack, we will miss the joy right in front of us.

God has given each of us far more than we deserve—His presence, His grace, His salvation, His people, and countless daily mercies.

It’s time for us to stop asking, “Why isn’t my life like theirs?” and start thanking God for the life He has given us.

Because it’s only when we practice gratitude that we experience the peace He promises His children.

Point to Ponder:

Gratitude transforms the way we see life—contentment and hope grow when we recognize God’s generosity.

Passage to Remember:

Philippians 4:6–7

Question to Consider:

What are three specific things you can thank God for today?

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Contrasting Lifestyles: Living by the Spirit

One of the defining characteristics of a follower of Jesus is being led by the Holy Spirit. A Spirit-led person will live differently from someone driven by the flesh. If there’s no noticeable difference between our lives and the lives of those who don’t follow Jesus, something is wrong. We may not be truly living under the Spirit’s guidance.

To understand what motivates us, we need to be able to recognize the difference between a life driven by the flesh and a life directed by the Spirit. The apostle Paul helps us do this by describing the “fruit” produced by each way of living.

In Galatians 5:19–21 (CSB), Paul lists the obvious works of the flesh:

sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar.

Then he gives a sobering warning—those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But Paul doesn’t leave us there. He goes on to describe the fruit of a Spirit-led life:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23, CSB)

There is no law that stands against these things, because they reflect God’s character and His desires for His people. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, Paul says, we should keep in step with the Spirit—avoiding conceit, provoking one another, and envy.

When Paul calls the works of the flesh “obvious,” he means they clearly oppose the law of love Jesus gave His followers. Instead of putting others first, the flesh focuses inward. It seeks what we want, when we want it, without regard for God or others.

This is why examining our motivations matters. Are we acting out of self-interest, or out of a desire to honor God and serve others? Our natural instinct is to choose ourselves. Sacrifice does not come easily, and without the Spirit’s help, we drift toward selfishness.

The Spirit’s Fruit (vv. 22–23)

When we are led by the Spirit, Paul says, “there is no law against such things.” The Spirit becomes our compass, guiding us into God’s will. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t a checklist—it’s the evidence of a life shaped by God.

When love fills our actions, when peace rules our hearts, when kindness flows out of us—these are signs that the Spirit is at work. A Spirit-led life looks radically different from a life centered on self.

So ask yourself:

• Can you describe your life using these qualities?
• Are you motivated by love for others?
• Do you experience joy and peace?
• Are patience and kindness growing in you?

A Spirit-led life will produce Spirit-shaped fruit.

Walking by the Spirit (vv. 24–26)

Paul reminds us that those who belong to Jesus have crucified the flesh. Through Christ, the power of sinful desires has been broken—but we must continually surrender to Him. Without surrender, we lack the strength to resist the flesh, and the Spirit’s voice becomes increasingly faint.

The walk of the Spirit begins with surrender.

Consider these questions:

• Have you surrendered to Jesus?
• Are you more committed to God’s will than your own desires?
• Are you willing to remove distractions so you can hear the Spirit clearly?

There should be a clear contrast between the lives of Jesus’ followers and the world around them. Not because we are more disciplined or morally strong, but because we are committed to being led by the Spirit. As we surrender to His guidance, the Spirit leads us away from the passions of the flesh and toward the life God created us to live.

Point to Ponder:

Is the fruit of the Spirit increasingly visible in your life?

Question to Consider:

What is one area where you need to surrender more fully to the Spirit today?

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Living with Eternal Life

1 John 5:13–21

If you pull out a dollar bill, you’ll see four familiar words printed on the back: “In God We Trust.” It’s our national motto. We print it on our money. We claim it as part of our identity.

But according to the latest General Social Survey, those four words no longer describe the way most Americans actually live. When people were asked how confident they were that God really exists, only 50%—just half—said they believe in God without any doubts. Thirty years ago that number was 65%, and it’s been sliding ever since. Among young adults the shift is even more dramatic: only 36% now say they are certain God exists.

So we live in a country where our currency declares trust in God, but our culture increasingly doesn’t know whether God is even there. Doubt is growing. Fear is growing. Confusion is growing.

Which raises a deeper question: Where does real confidence come from?

According to the apostle John, confidence doesn’t come from slogans or cultural heritage. It certainly doesn’t come from our feelings. Confidence comes from a Person—Jesus—and what He has already done for us. In his final words of 1 John, John reminds the church what they can know with certainty. And these same truths anchor us today.

We Can Be Confident That We Have Eternal Life

(1 John 5:13–15)

John tells us exactly why he wrote this letter: “so that you may know that you have eternal life.” We don’t have to guess. We don’t have to wonder. We don’t have to live in spiritual uncertainty.

How can we know? John points to two essential realities:

1. Our faith in King Jesus, the unique Son of God.
2. Our love for God and for one another.

Faith and love aren’t abstract ideas—they’re evidence of new life. And because we belong to God, we also have confidence in prayer. When our allegiance is aligned with Jesus, our desires begin to reflect God’s desires. We pray according to His will, and John assures us: God hears us. As a Father, He gives what we need, even if it looks different than what we asked for.

Eternal life isn’t a future prize; it’s a present reality. And it brings confidence.

We Can Be Confident That Sin Is Evil—and That God Rescues Us From It

(1 John 5:16–19)

John turns next to one of the more challenging passages in his letter—praying for those caught in sin.

There are sins that lead to repentance, where guilt and sorrow eventually draw someone back to God. These we should pray for boldly. But John also acknowledges a deeper, more hardened rebellion—willful rejection of God, the kind embraced by the false teachers troubling the early church. Their hearts were closed to the Spirit. Prayer for them may not change their course.

Why is this important? Because confidence in God awakens seriousness about sin. Followers of Jesus don’t make sin a lifestyle. We confess our sins. We seek forgiveness. We fight against temptation because God’s love has taken hold of us.

John contrasts two spiritual realities:

1. We are God’s children, shaped by His love, Spirit, and Word.
2. The world lies under the influence of the evil one, shaped by the spirit of anti-Christ.

So we remain alert. Confident—but not careless.

We Can Be Confident About Jesus—The True God and Eternal Life

(1 John 5:20–21)

John closes with clarity: Jesus has given us the fullest revelation of God. The Old Testament gave glimpses of God through the law, but Jesus shows us God’s heart through love. And because of Him, we can have a genuine relationship with God—walking in love, faith, and loyalty to King Jesus.

This fuller knowledge of God leads to one final command:

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Idols aren’t just statues. They’re false ideas of God. Distorted pictures of Jesus. Voices that seduce our loyalty away from the King—just as the temples and false teachers tried to sway the early church.

Confidence in Jesus means refusing all competing allegiances.

Living With Eternal Life Today

John ends his letter like a loving spiritual father—reminding us what is true, what can be trusted, and how we should live. Our world may be confused about God, but we don’t need to be.

Following King Jesus gives us the confidence we need to live faithfully in this world.

And this kind of life—rooted in clarity, loyalty, and trust—is exactly what our world needs to see.

A Simple Challenge for This Week

Choose one concrete step of confidence:

• Pray boldly for someone who is struggling. 
• Confess a sin you’ve been tolerating.
• Silence a voice that is pulling you from the truth. 
• Open your Bible each morning and ask God to deepen your trust.

Live like someone who truly has eternal life—not someday, but now.

Final Thought

If you are in Christ, you are not meant to drift through life uncertain, anxious, or spiritually unstable. You are meant to stand firm, pray boldly, resist sin faithfully, love sincerely, and worship wholeheartedly. Reject every idol that competes for your allegiance.

Remain with Jesus. Trust Him. Follow Him.

And you will shine with a confidence this world has forgotten—but desperately needs to see.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.