Devotionals for the Heart: How "Gratitude Glasses" Give Perfect Vision

Gratitude Glasses Give Us Perfect Vision
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” –2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

I prefer wearing contact lenses. Eyeglasses make my vision crisp and clear, but they’re uncomfortable and I’m constantly cleaning them. Now, I need to replace them because they're so full of scratches. I wonder if the protective coating they sold me is just a gimmick.

Difficult circumstances can leave scratches on our hearts. In our pain, they’re often the filter through which we view life. But when we view tough times through the lens of gratitude, we are less likely to be defeated by them.

When he wrote his letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul had plenty to complain about. Yet he learned to focus on God and the eternal hope that awaited him in Heaven. His perspective gave him victory and the courage to continue spreading the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV), Paul wrote: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

And in 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 (NIV), Paul wrote: “Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”

Trials take our breath away. They don’t give fair warning. It's hard to see the good when all we see is darkness. And while we wonder if God has forgotten us, He's already busy working on our behalf, and whether we realize it or not, His plans are for our good.

Gratitude is like a protective coating that keeps our hearts from bitterness, complaining, and comparison. Life is hard, and none of us escape suffering, but we can choose each day whether it decides our outlook on life.

Someone told me that when you place a black dot on a blank paper, you stop noticing what's around it. We can't see the blessings around us when we only focus on our pain. We may not get to choose our circumstances, but when our feet hit the floor every morning, we decide whether to view them with gratitude glasses.

Sweet friend, whatever you face today, I encourage you to look to Jesus Christ. He understands what you’re going through. Consider starting a gratitude journal because seeing your blessings in black and white will open your eyes to the gifts right before you.

Let's Pray:
Father God, I’m so grateful for everything You've done for me. On difficult days, help me remember to count my blessings instead of my disappointments. I don't understand why trials come but thank you for giving me your Word, which helps me see everything through the right lens. In Jesus's Name, I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Give Thanks (With A Grateful Heart)” by Into the Light Journal (YouTube Channel). Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. As she got older, her mother’s chronic illness inspired her to design a line of greeting cards. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their “Best of” spread. 

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about Gigi (her Cocker Spaniel) was published in Guideposts (magazine) Mysterious Ways. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Since 2022, Sarah’s devotionals have been published in The Secret Place by Judson Press, as well as David C. Cook’s Devotions and The Quiet Hour. To this day, she smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys watching cooking shows, designing cards and mugs, and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyc65
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SarahCo45835279
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52