Hosea 2:8
“For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.”
One of the sad conditions I see in relationships is mentioned in the verse above. Hosea’s wife said that she did not know that it was her husband that gave her corn, wine, and oil. My question for Hosea’s wife is, who did you think was providing all these things? Do you think these things just appeared in your house? This lady didn’t realize that her husband had provided all of these things because she took for granted what he had done for her and the family. It was her taking him for granted that caused her to go back to her old life of sin, but once she got back to that old life, she realized what her husband had done for her.
The mistake that Hosea’s wife made is often made by many people in their marriages and relationships with others. We are often blind to that which seems to be right in front of our face. Husbands and wives take for granted what their spouse does for them instead of noticing what they have done and being appreciative for it and thanking them for it. Many children take for granted what their parents provide for them and often become ungrateful for their provision when they should be thankful for their parents’ provision. Many employees become ungrateful and gripe about what their boss is not doing for them when they should be thankful that they have an employer who is willing to keep them employed and give them a paycheck weekly. Many church members overlook the blessings of their church and become ungrateful for a church that reaches souls, sees people baptized weekly, and gives them a great place to raise their family. Sadly, many Christians take for granted what God has provided for them and instead gripe about what they feel God has not done for them.
My friend, we must be careful that we don’t become ungrateful about what we do have. If you never expect anyone to do anything for you, everything that others do for you becomes a bonus. One of the problems we have is that we expect others to give us more than what they are already doing for us. We must be careful not to become ungrateful for what we have and for what others do for us.
Moreover, anybody can be ungrateful for what they have and for what others do for them, but it is those who are grateful for the kind acts of others that make the most out of their relationships. One of the best words that can be said to anyone is “thank you.” Sadly, because we are ungrateful about what others do for us, we rarely thank people for what they do.
Let me ask you, are you grateful for what you have, or do you gripe about what you don’t have? Do you look at what your spouse does for you and thank God and them for caring for you, or do you gripe about what they don’t do for you? Do you look at what your parents have provided for you throughout the years, or do you complain and demand that they do more for you? Are you thankful for the church that you have and what it does provide for you and your family, or do you pick it apart because you don’t feel it does enough for you? The enjoyment of what you have will be determined by your gratefulness for what has been done for you and given to you. Don’t let ungratefulness rob you of the blessings that you do have.
