As kids in school, there was a simple yet profound song we sang before meals:
“Some have food but cannot eat,
Some can eat but have no food,
We have food and we can eat
Glory be to Jesus Christ.”
At the time, we sang it with innocent voices, not fully understanding the weight of its meaning. For most of us, it was just another school routine, something we did before being served our daily ration. We were children, after all, and it was easy to take food, health, and daily care for granted. However, as we grow older and experience life with all its complexities, we begin to understand how profound and true those lyrics truly are.
In adulthood, the challenges of life begin to press on us. We become more aware of lack, struggle, and inequality. We hear of people battling hunger, illness, or loneliness, and we may even experience some of those things ourselves. Suddenly, the words of that childhood song come alive in a new and sobering way.
Yet, even with this understanding, many of us still behave like children when it comes to recognizing and appreciating God’s providence. We often overlook His blessings, focusing instead on what we don’t have. We compare ourselves with others whose lives seem more successful, more glamorous, or more “put together.” We scroll through curated social media feeds and wonder why our lives don’t look the same. We fall into the trap of comparison, forgetting that comparison is the thief of joy.
Gratitude has become rare in a world obsessed with more. But contentment is a spiritual discipline, and it begins with opening our eyes to what God has already done. There’s a powerful saying that illustrates this truth: “Jack cried because he had no shoes, but he stopped crying when he saw a man with no legs.” It’s a reminder that someone, somewhere, would gladly trade places with you.
Many of us worry about tomorrow, about bills, jobs, relationships, or our future. But Jesus himself said in Matthew 6:25–26: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
God’s providence is not always loud or flashy. Sometimes it’s the quiet hum of a fridge filled with food. Sometimes it’s the strength to rise out of bed in the morning. Sometimes it’s a friend calling at just the right moment. Other times, it’s the job we complain about that actually pays our bills. These are small miracles we often fail to acknowledge.
We must learn to practice daily thanksgiving, not just for the extraordinary things, but for the ordinary mercies we receive every day. When we shift our focus from what we lack to what we have, our perspective changes. We begin to see God’s hand in every detail of our lives.
So today, take a moment. Breathe deeply. Thank God for the food on your table, for the ability to eat and enjoy it. Thank Him for your health, your family, your mind, your breath. Not everyone has what you have, even if what you have doesn’t seem like much.
Remember this: Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough. It turns a meal into a feast, a house into a home, and a stranger into a friend. It reminds us that we are cared for by a God who provides.
Let us not be like those who forget the Giver and chase only the gifts. Let us live in a posture of humility, contentment, and thanksgiving because we have food and we can eat, glory be to Jesus Christ!
