What You May Be Taking for Granted

Have you been taking something for granted during quarantine? I discovered something new this morning, and I know God meant me to share it with you.

A Story on Taking Things for Granted

This morning, on my prayer walk, I asked God to reveal a topic for today’s devotion. I always pray first before writing, because I trust God has a message he wants you to read. But I usually have a better idea of what I’ll be writing before Tuesday morning arrives.

Today, at 10:24 a.m., the electricity flicked off here in my home where I work. I live in a rural area. When the power goes off here, it means we also have no running water, no internet and spotty phone service due to an outdated cell phone tower. It’s a little like going back 100 years, when my ancestors were farming in this exact same area.

Immediately, my mind went back to the ice storm of 2008, when we had no power for 3 1/2 days. We had to worry about the potential of spoiled food, bursting water pipes, and other major headaches. Also the problems of no working heat, toilets, showers, sinks or oven. Here in Missouri, as in the majority of the United States, these are everyday blessings we tend to take for granted.

Today, the weather forecast is 93 degrees F. Similar problems to a winter outage, but the opposite problem of no air conditioning seemed daunting. I started making plans to pack everything up and head to my husband’s office to work in town. But first, I took a few moments to calm myself and pray.

The power came back on less than 10 minutes later. A sense of relief washed over me. Then I was struck by a sober realization of how often I take the blessing of electricity for granted. Right then, I had a devotion to share with you!

What I’ve Taken for Granted During Quarantine

Yesterday, my children returned to school after a five-month break. The transition has helped me realize some things we have been taking for granted during quarantine. I wonder if you’ve taken some of these things for granted too. Note: Everything I mention here is a minor convenience in a first-world country, not a major struggle, so please don’t hear this as a rant.

1. Church

My church is the largest in the area, and it’s still not having in-person services in the sanctuary yet. We have faithfully watched the online services since mid-March, and I’m so thankful this option is available. Yet I’ve become aware that I take for granted the quiet, enveloping ambiance of the sanctuary which subconsciously cues me to enter worship mode. I also miss seeing my friends and freely giving them hugs in between services.

2. Shopping

Though we are blessed to live in a low-infected area compared to the majority of the United States, we have still needed to make adjustments to in-person shopping. Wearing masks, shopping at different times, dealing with random shortages and ordering more online are included. On the weekend of July 4th, my daughter and I visited one of our favorite local department stores. We were immediately struck by the “new” clothing displays of early spring merchandise. It was as if we were stepping back in time. Clearance racks took up far more space than normal, because the retailer hadn’t been turning over merchandise as quickly as normal. I admit I’ve taken for granted the work retailers do to make in-person shopping an enjoyable and ever-fresh experience.

3. Socialization

I’m a solid introvert. Before quarantine began, I was basically living a quarantine life, working from home in the country and leaving the house a few times a week. This lifestyle suits me just fine. But, I’ve realized how much I’ve taken friendly social exchanges in public places for granted. Most everyone is wearing an opaque mask, so you can’t see their smiles. People also aren’t talking as much with their masks on – I know I’m quieter than usual. This past week, I chatted with three friends while I was running errands. My spirit leaped when I saw them. After feeling so blessed by those short visits, I realized how much I missed this kind of socialization.

4. Travel

We don’t normally take summer vacations, because it’s my husband’s busiest season as a general contractor. However, we’ve been brainstorming where we could travel this fall or winter, especially because our 20th wedding anniversary is approaching. The problem isn’t booking a place to stay. The problem is, will any of the restaurants, parks, shops, theaters, and entertainment venues be open? If we will just be staying inside, why spend thousands of dollars to travel? I have never had to think about this before when planning family vacations. It’s just another example of an area I didn’t realize I was taking for granted.

5. School

This information comes from my two oldest boys, who attend the large local high school. With four grades plus faculty and staff, there are around 2,000 people on site there. The school district is taking excellent preventive measures to keep everyone safe. These are the differences my boys pointed out after their first day of school:

1. No hanging out with friends before classes, in hallways or after school.

2. To use the bathroom, you must scan a QR code before entering and after leaving, and a limited number of people can use it at one time.

3. Lunch is proportioned into smaller containers so the staff doesn’t need to wash trays, and no doubles are permitted (this is a big deal to two hungry teenage boys).

4. Lunch seating is restricted to four people per table (one of my sons got, ahem, corrected on this point yesterday).

All things they were previously taking for granted before!

What You May Have Taken for Granted During Quarantine

Have you taken any of these things above for granted? Perhaps other things as well? Maybe you’ve taken a dependable vehicle, relationships, your health, or your emotional well-being for granted. A wedding, graduation, baby’s birth or other milestone celebration. Perhaps you’ve even been taking electricity or a high-speed internet connection for granted. Our religious freedoms, the relative ease of the voting process, and other blessings are being considered now.

We all have so many blessings that are too easy to take for granted. (My readers in Africa and Asia often reply to my Tea on Tuesday emails (sign up below) and give me humbling perspectives on the challenges they face every day that we Westerners do not.)

I think this verse of Scripture is ideally suited for us today:

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thess. 5:18 NLT

Note that God does not instruct us to be thankful FOR all circumstances, but IN them. This quarantine time has been full of disruptions and challenges. Yet it can clear the clutter from our view, and help us recognize many things we’ve been taking for granted. Things that God wants us to thank him for on a regular basis – that’s his expressed will, as noted in the verse.

Regularly thanking God for your take-for-granted blessings cultivates humility, one of Jesus’ most stand-out qualities. Humility is one of the biblical virtues we are instructed to imitate as we grow in faith. It shows an utter dependence on God, since he is ultimately in control of everything. I regularly meditate on Philippians 2:1-11, where the apostle Paul writes about the great value of humility. It’s good to meditate on who Jesus was, so we know how to imitate him.

Jesus never took anything for granted. Though he was and is the King of Kings, he humbled himself to have a dependent attitude while on earth. He always, always sought his Father’s will in everything he did. His parables often pointed out the great value in small things that often escape our notice. His teachings affirm the ways God cares for the humble, but keeps his distance from the proud (Ps. 138:6). Pride is the opposite of humility, and it generates take-for-granted, entitled attitudes.

I challenge you today to set aside any area where pride is causing you to feel entitled. Follow Jesus’ example, and go to God in prayer. Thank him for something you’ve been taking for granted. Admit that God alone is in full control of your situation, and trust him. Choose to depend on God with a humble spirit rather than depending on yourself. By doing so, you’ll follow God’s will and become more like Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all the small blessings in my life.
I confess that I often take them for granted.
You’ve given me new perspective during this quarantine.
I’m thankful you care enough to change my perspective, Lord.
I want to follow your example of humility, Jesus.
Help me to depend fully on you.
Only you are fully in control of what goes on in my life.
I trust that you are working all things together for my good.
Today, I choose to thank you for the very things
I’ve been taking for granted prior to quarantine.
Inspire a new, humble attitude of gratitude in me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Do you have a prayer request to share with me, or feedback on this post? Simply send me an email with your feedback and prayer requests, or comment below.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

This post may be linked up at these linkups.

If you make a purchase through the provided links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for supporting my writing ministry!

I send my weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday.  I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!