By Her View From Home 
Do you ever feel just so overwhelmingly grateful? For all the millions of little things that you take for granted day in and day out?
It’s easy to be grateful for big things. It’s easy when you’re praying at night to thank God for the house, the job, the car. Those are the easy ones. But the ones we don’t think about often . . . those are the ones that when you notice them, they get ya.
My family is fortunate, we’ve always had insurance. It’s one of those things you don’t think about, it’s just a bill you pay and hope you never need it. Today, as I sat looking at the bills that had come in from an accident my husband and child were in, I was brought to tears.
The kind of tears that make you sob. I realized at that moment just how overwhelming the bills would be if we didn’t have insurance. We likely would never have recovered from the debt, and I recognized just how frequently that happens to others. The God in that moment, the God who had us covered before I ever knew I’d need it was there. And my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude.
Today, God reminded me that it’s easy to be thankful for the things we see daily. It’s easy to be thankful for the big events that have a positive outcome—those are the low-hanging fruits, the go-through-the-motions praises.
Today, God broke my heart with gratitude, reminding me to be thankful for the things I don’t see, the things I don’t often use, and the things so second nature, that I just take them for granted. Oh, I should absolutely still praise Him for the roof over my head, food in the fridge, and the job that pays the bills, and I will forever be thankful for those things. But in my brokenness, He reminded me that there’s more, to not just go through the motions, but to look deeper and be intentional in seeking the things I would likely miss.
Lord, I thank you for always seeing what I can’t, for knowing the bigger picture before I could even fathom it. Thank you, Lord, for filling gaps I don’t see, for carrying me when I don’t even realize I’m falling. Lord, my heart is so full of appreciation for the gift of insurance and so broken for those who struggle under what could easily become a life-altering burden from something that was just a quick moment in time.
We hear, but often don’t understand. We see but aren’t impacted personally, so we miss it. We miss so much in the hurting of those around us. Lord, they’re often unspoken and unseen burdens and so easy for us to ignore. Thank you for burdening my heart with an understanding of the crippling weight so many feel. I’m thankful, Lord, that we are in the position we’re in, but I’m also thankful for the realization you brought today. I know I cannot cover the financial burden of all those around me, but I can be a support. I know that without you, this realization wouldn’t have ever come. Thank you for using this situation to encourage me and others to seek you and praise you in all things. Amen.
Friends, I encourage you to find joy and gratitude in the little things. In the laugh of the neighborhood kids, in the farmers taking up the road, in the $2.87 refund check you didn’t know was coming, for the lights that turn on, for the clothes on your back, and all the million other things in between. See them. Seek them. Praise Him. Allow your heart to be overwhelmed with gratitude.
by Lori Schumaker 
