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Express It

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" - Psalm 30:11-12

All throughout Psalms and even within these two verses, David goes from the valley to the mountain.  I'm sure that we all go through valleys of some sort in our lives, so you may be wondering what makes these two verses stand out.  Well David here is expressing his gratitude to God for what He has done.  He's turned his "mourning into dancing," and "clothed him in gladness."  Obviously David was thankful for God's presence and answered prayers in his life so he did what so often we slip up in doing.  He expressed his gratitude. 

How often do you feel gratitude, toward God or even someone  else around you, then not get around to telling them?  We all have our reasons.  Sometimes we get busy and forget, or we may be content to just feel the joy ourselves and just don't take the next step of expressing it.  Trevor Barton says, "In truth, gratitude that isn't expressed doesn't exist."  If gratitude isn't shared, it doesn't leave its mark, it will stay right there inside us and never make it to its intended recipient. 

I had the opportunity this week to talk with a realtor about a couple looking at houses.  While we were talking she complimented the bank and particularly one of my co-workers on some previous purchases they had worked on together.  She expressed her gratitude, but what if I had never told him.  Where would that gratitude have gone?  We've got to express it for it to exist and flourish.  So the next time you feel like telling someone thank you, or they did a good job, or that you appreciate them, do it.  Don't let the gratitude be stuck in its shell and never make it to the person it is intended for.

If we will be aware of God's goodness all around us then we will see what all we have to be grateful for.

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