#Reverb10 - Appreciate

Prompt: Appreciate. What's the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

This year has been really difficult for me, for a variety of reasons. There have been ups and downs, trials and victories, tears and laughter. Even through the saddest days, I have been learning to appreciate what is my most constant source of joy: the gospel. 

The Lord has been so wonderfully gracious to me through this past year, shown me his lovingkindness even though I was undeserving. I can truly say that his year has brought me to a sweet place of dependence upon the Lord, in reference to future and all the myriad of changes that it will bring. But to fully appreciate the gospel is to understand it, something that I have yet to completely encapsulate. 

The flip side of appreciation is to express gratitude. Sometimes I rack my brain, how does one show gratitude for lovingkindness such as that? How can I even begin to say "thank you" to the Lord for all the gifts that I have received?

The answer is (kinda) simple. I just try. Everyday, I aim to give my savior the glory and honor he deserves. And I fail. Miserably. But my grateful heart isn't dependent in perfect worship. It's reactionary. And even though I don't give God perfect worship, the point is that I try. And even in my imperfections, I am able to see more clearly the loving heart of my heavenly Father, who covers my sin with Christ's blood. And that is worth all the praise in the world.