Giving Thanks For All Things, Regardless Of Size

I almost walked right past it. The tiny orange butterfly was barely bigger than the tip of my thumb. I only saw it on the side of the garage because I saw it folding and unfolding its wings. Without that motion, I would have missed it completely.

In that small, quiet moment, I couldn't help but think about how easy it is to miss the little things God puts in our path. We're going so fast and so furiously that we're too distracted to notice the important things, no matter what size they are.

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

All things ... not just the big, showy, off-the-wall miracles that catch us by surprise. All things ... the small things that make us take a second look. All things ... the gentle and the unexpected as well as the bright and beautiful.

Those are the things to give thanks for, too. A tiny butterfly that caught my attention. A particularly pretty sunset. A smile from a friend when I needed it most. Gratitude isn't reserved for the big stuff. The little stuff deserves thanksgiving, too.

Giving thanks isn't always natural, especially when we're going through difficult times. But noticing the small things and praising God for them resets our brains and our hearts to put Him first. Our attitude can be all out whack, but thanksgiving realigns us with God and His view. He's placed these things in our path for a reason, and now is our opportunity to take the moment to thank Him for it all.

When we look closely, we will see that God has placed tiny orange butterfly moments all along our way. They will be different for each of us, but they will all be small signs of His faithfulness, waiting for us to notice them and give Him all the glory in our thanks. What a week this will be if we spend it slowing down, looking around, and practicing gratitude!

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