The Deadly Decline of Ingratitude

October 31, 2015

All throughout Scripture (and human history) we have been reminded by God to give thanks. This is not a selfish request from our God. God knows us and He knows that creeping ingratitude is the sure slide to spiritual suicide.

Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God reminded them to give thanks and told them why. Now, in a time of deep spiritual decline and corresponding judgment for God’s people, He sends Hosea the prophet and reminds them again. Exactly what God forewarned them about has happened.

Look at the progression for them (and for us) and let it remind us about why continual thanksgiving for everything in your life is so critical. It is the one antidote for this progression to forgetfulness.

1. God is the only Lord and Savior

""Yet I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any god except Me, for there is no savior besides Me."" (Hosea 13:4)

1. God cares for His own and blesses us

""I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought."" (vs. 5)

1. We become satisfied and our heart becomes proud as we take credit for what God alone has done

""As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud"" (vs. 6)

1. We forget God

""Therefore they forgot Me."" (vs. 6)

When we forget that God has produced and provided everything in our lives, become proud and forget God, guess what happens? We “do not honor Him and give thanks” and we “worship and serve the creature instead of the Creator.” (Romans 1:21-25)

Our line of sight becomes distorted and misplaced. “A proud man is always looking down on things and people,” C.S. Lewis said, “and, of course, as long as you’re looking down you cannot see something that’s above you.”

Unceasing gratitude is the antidote to forgetfulness and spiritual drift. Meet a man who is not genuinely, continually grateful and you can know He has forgotten God and is on a deadly spiritual slide.

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