Have you ever thought about how God blesses our lives, providing us with abundant good?

David, the Psalmist, taught us this. In particular, the 23rd Psalm in the Bible is a marvelous recounting of the blessings that God brought into David’s life. The very first verse of the psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,” is a declaration of gratitude that David’s every need was and always would be met by the one all-loving God.

Throughout this precious recounting of blessings, David tells us of the infinite nature of divine Love and its affectionate, shepherding care of man. Even a simple perusal of the psalm reveals the abundance of provision, stillness, guidance, comfort, strength, goodness, and mercy richly given to David. He showed that God truly blesses our lives in the tenderest and most caring ways.

No one’s life is in limbo—we each have a loving, divine Shepherd.

Divine Love’s provision of good is true not only for David, but for each and every one of us. No one is outside of God’s love and protection because we are all God’s beloved children, His spiritual expression. A vital tool for helping us recognize the presence and blessings of this infinite Love is gratitude—our honest acknowledgment of the wonderful authority of God. In words that echo the sentiments of David, Mary Baker Eddy wrote: “To-day my soul can only sing and soar. An increasing sense of God’s love, omnipresence, and omnipotence enfolds me. Each day I know Him nearer, love Him more, and humbly pray to serve Him better” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 174).

But sometimes it is not easy to see how wonderful God’s provision is. We read in the Bible about David experiencing great challenge and heartbreak. And we know that Eddy, too, was often faced with sad circumstances that threatened to crowd out any recognition of divine care. And yet she also wrote, “Under affliction in the very depths, stop and contemplate what you have to be grateful for” (Undated document, A10572, The Mary Baker Eddy Collection).

Christ Jesus’ divinely blessed life showed time and again the transforming power of gratitude. When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus went to the grave, turned wholeheartedly in prayer to God, and with gratitude proclaimed, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” After expressing his thanks, he commanded, “Lazarus, come forth,” and that is exactly what happened. Lazarus, who had been dead four days, came back to life (see John 11:1–44).

During times when our prospects seem to be dying, gratitude can open the way for renewal. No one’s life is in limbo—we each have a loving, divine Shepherd. When we are facing times of pain, loneliness, or lack of opportunity, being appreciative for God and His goodness can prepare us for the acceptance of greater blessings. Eddy wrote: “Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 3).

In my own life, when I’ve faced situations of lack, disappointment, and illness, gratitude to God has brought me great healing. For example, one day I became extremely ill at work—fatigued, nauseous, and suffering from a headache. I took a break from my work duties, and I began silently to give thanks to God for His love and care in my life. I counted my blessings. But instead of giving thanks for material objects or even my job, I began to appreciate the qualities of completeness, strength, intelligence, and love that God had imparted to me as His spiritual reflection. 

Truly, my cup ran over with thanks. And I began to feel an overwhelming sense of peace. The pain subsided, and as I continued being thankful for God’s goodness and how it was manifested in my life, the symptoms left. I was completely healed.

Gratitude to God enables us to discover, express, and demonstrate our Godlike nature as His innocent child. Gratitude to God refines our lives with humility and opens us to perceive the dignity of our Godlikeness. The Bible states, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (II Corinthians 9:15). That gift is our spiritual selfhood as God’s loved child, and it is also the immediate ever-presence of divine Love’s protecting and restorative power that shepherds and heals each one of us.

Our thankfulness to God helps us to recognize and prove that God truly blesses our lives with His goodness and might all year long, and always.