We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A friend sent me this - it is so uncomfortably true that I felt I ought to post it here without further delay...
1 comment:
I wish I'd read this before I wrote this week's column...on gifts!
Thanks for keeping me thinking...
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