Carefree, not Careless

Gratitude is not a licence for lethargy. Sit back in idleness, for God is in control and he will provide. If that is how we respond, then it is clear, to use Peterson’s paraphrase, we ‘don’t know God or how he works’.

The ant probably comes to your mind at this point. ‘It stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food in harvest.’ The writer of Proverbs gives that example to challenge the lifestyle of someone he refers to as a ‘sluggard’ – a lazy, foolish individual (Proverbs 6:6-8).

We have a responsibility to work hard to put food on the table, to look after our bodies, but then we can be carefree rather than careless. If we are preoccupied with these things, how can we ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’? But if that has priority in our lives, then ‘all these things will be given to you as well’.

That is the context in which the passage in Matthew chapter six must be understood. Jesus has just challenged his hearers about what they treasure, where they fix their eyes, and who or what masters their lives (v 19-24). When we have these things sorted, then ‘do not worry about your life’ (v25).

What an example Jesus is in the wilderness as he faces the most intense of temptations!  The devil seeks to trip him up on ‘life’ issues: food, fame and future. But his eye is firmly fixed: ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”’ (Matthew 4:10).

Gratitude can become a way of life, as our trust in a sovereign God and our submission to him grows, and our worries decrease. God, our Father, is unchanging. It follows that he must then be faithful. If he was ever to be unfaithful, that would require him to change. His covenant promises and his complete faithfulness rest on the foundation of his unchanging nature.

If you are struggling with anxiety, uncertainty or discouragement, meditate on these certainties. He will always be true to his word. His lovingkindness and faithfulness will never fail. Allow gratitude for who he is, and the fact that he is yours, your Father, to flood your heart and wash away the discouragements.

Gratitude must become much more than our response to acts of kindness. If we recognise that we live under the care of our sovereign God and Father who always has our best interests at heart, then the anxiety of epidemic proportions in our society will be challenged by the peace and gratitude of knowing who is in ultimate control.

You can preorder your copy of Radical Gratitude now! You might also be interested in Peter's other book with IVP, Discipleship Matters: Dying to Live for Christ.