You DO know that there is a difference between thankfulness and gratitude, don't you? If you didn't, here is a scenario that can bring you some knowledge and shine the stage's spotlight on the difference...
Let's say there are two dancers that have been dance students at Uptown Dance School for several years. They have been under the tutelage of the same teacher during those years. There were years of dance, laughter, and enjoyment during that time! Upon growing up and deciding on careers, these two dancers decide they each want to be studio owners and dance teachers themselves. Since their dance teacher has shifted her focus to do other things with dance and come out of the studio environment, they merrily embark on their dance teaching journeys.
The former dance teacher had made it clear that she would remain in the field of dance, just not in the studio arena and would not teach at a studio within a five mile area of their schools for five years, just out of courtesy.
Somehow, during that five year period, one of the dancers turned new studio owner, became fearful and offended at her former teacher and began to tell her studio instructors working for her to not interact with the former teacher even though she was her elder and had imparted and planted so much into her life. It even got to the point where the former student would pass by her former teacher and not acknowledge that she was even standing there. Soon, the newer dance teacher's family was doing the same thing to the older dance teacher. The older dance teacher's heart was broken for she loved this former student with all of her heart and could not understand what had happened.
There came a time, however, after much intercession and prayer by the former teacher for the whole situation to be rectified and healed, that one by one, the instructor's began to call or show up at the older dance teacher's home and apologize for their behavior as God was showing them what they had been doing. There were even apology-forgiveness encounters in stores and parking lots! How joyful the older dance teacher was that the breaches had been repaired...except for one...the former student. To this day there has not been a healing.
Five years and three months after the departure from studio teaching, the former teacher was spoken to very clearly from God to enter back into the studio environment and to help the other former student with their vision for their dance school. Not fully understanding what God wanted to do but was obedient, she began to teach for the other former student. A shift in authority had taken place where the older teacher was now submitted to the younger teacher as an employee! This former student always was respectful and kind and loving to her former teacher and never acted unbecomingly. God caused her studio to grow and flourish and brought hundreds of students to be taught dance and to be nurtured and loved.
The fearful former student has since closed her studio and is pursuing another career. The respectful former student has been placed before kings, priests, and royalty. What made the difference? Gratitude.
Thankfulness can be fleeting and can fluctuate with feelings, emotions, circumstances, and if situations call for it to be used. Gratitude, on other hand, is eternally ingrained in your heart because of a service, an act, a debt, or grand respect for one that has done something that could never really be repaid. Thankfulness can be shifted quickly into unthankfulness, with a big heaping of familiarity, when fear or jealousy or even being deceived into believing things that were never true. Thankfulness has the ability to be tainted if it's just a situational feeling. Gratitude is chiseled into hearts by the wisdom and integrity and the power of the Holy Spirit. And what is in a heart will be shown when placed in revealing opportunities.
Read Romans 1:21:
"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
Search yourself:
Have you ever had contempt towards a person that once was a delight in your life and then you began to say within yourself things that demoted them to common?
At the Barre and the Center:
Have you become complacent in class? Too assuming with your instructor? Too familiar with a fellow dancer? Aggravated and begun to murmur within yourself about having to come to class? Or not liking the choreography? Or who got the solo part? Or the way something was handled?
At the Altar:
After seeing the dream of the first former student wither away and the dream of the second former student become a blessing to her as well as others, would you consider confessing before God and repenting to Him for your attitudes, for the story you were told was a true story and the events actually happened. If you refuse to grow from thankfulness to gratitude and keep a repentant heart before God, dreams can subtly and gradually disappear.
This Holiday Season call on and develop your gratitude abilities and remember the True One that can never be repaid for His wonderful Gift of Life! Much gratitude and love to You, Jesus, our Lord and Savior!
Merriest of Christmasses and Happiest of New Years!
No comments:
Post a Comment