Gratitude Behind Me, Wisdom Before Me
Priceless Lessons from Dr. Price
How to Move from Holiday Gratitude to Everyday Wisdom
The leftovers are gone. The decorations are put away. And if you're honest, the warm glow of Thanksgiving has started to fade as you face another Monday, another set of challenges, another month of ordinary time.
But here's what I've learned: the days immediately following a season of gratitude are some of the most spiritually significant moments we'll ever experience. We're standing at what Dr. Richard Price calls "a sacred threshold"—just days removed from Thanksgiving, yet stepping into a brand new month filled with opportunities, observances, and spiritual intentions.
The question is: will we let the spirit of gratitude evaporate with the holiday? Or will we allow it to transform into something even more powerful—the wisdom that positions us for God's next move?
In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Moses speaks to Israel on the edge of the Promised Land, calling them to remember: "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these 40 years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands." And in Psalm 90:12, he prays, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."
These passages reveal a powerful truth: gratitude looks backward; wisdom looks forward. Gratitude celebrates what God has done; wisdom positions you for what God will do.
The Backward Glance: Remembering God's Faithfulness
Moses didn't ask Israel to remember their own achievements. He called them to remember how the Lord led them. Not how luck carried them. Not how their network opened doors. Not how they pulled themselves up. But how God Himself guided every step.
When we look back honestly at this past year—or even just the past season—we see four powerful realities:
- God led us even when we didn't know the way. There were moments when you had no idea what to do next, yet somehow the path became clear. That wasn't coincidence—that was divine guidance.
- God humbled us without destroying us. He used even your hard-headedness to shape you into someone who understands there's no one like Him. Those corrections? They were acts of love.
- God tested us to develop our faithfulness. The challenges in your relationships, your work, your family—they weren't random. God was seeing if you would truly hold onto His unchanging hand.
- God fed us from unexpected sources. Like manna in the wilderness, blessings came through unknown people, unforeseen opportunities, unconventional means. You didn't see it coming, but God knew exactly what you needed.
As Dr. Price powerfully reminds us: "I have seen God do things in hospitals when doctors said folks wouldn't make it through the night. I've seen God wake them up... I've seen families that were broken that folks thought it was over. I've seen God work in careers where people said that they would not amount to much."
The problem is, many of us struggle with gratitude because we refuse to look back. We keep our eyes only on what's ahead or what's immediately in front of us. But Deuteronomy 8 commands us to remember—to reflect, to spend time thinking about your story and your song, because it matters to God.
The Forward Focus: Wisdom for What's Next
If gratitude is the backward glance, wisdom is the forward focus. And according to Psalm 90:12, wisdom begins when we realize the brevity of life.
This isn't a prayer for more time. It's a prayer to use time wisely.
When Moses prays, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom," he's asking God for something specific: the ability to number our days, to live with intention, discipline, and clarity.
Here's what that looks like practically:
Wisdom Means Living with Sacred Intentionality
Your time is not unlimited. Seasons change quickly. Doors open and close. Moments cannot be wasted. This understanding should create a holy urgency in how you approach your days, your relationships, your service to God.
Wisdom Is Divine Insight, Not Just Information
As Dr. Price declares: "Wisdom is not just information. Wisdom is divine insight." Anyone can Google facts or collect data. But wisdom—true wisdom—comes from God alone. It's the ability to see what matters most, to discern what must be released, to hear God's voice through His Word, and to walk in alignment with His will.
Wisdom Helps You Avoid Unnecessary Battles
Not every fight is yours to fight. Not every argument needs your voice. Not every offense requires your response. Wisdom protects your peace by helping you choose your battles wisely. As we enter the final month of the year—with all its commercial pressures, family dynamics, and emotional triggers—this kind of wisdom is essential.
Trusting God's Unconventional Path
Proverbs 3:5-6 provides the roadmap: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
Notice the promise isn't that God will give you a GPS with turn-by-turn directions. The promise is that He will show you the path—often as you walk, sometimes one step at a time, occasionally through detours you didn't plan.
Can you handle it if God gives you a detour? Can you handle it if God makes you take an extra semester for a job you don't even know He's preparing for you? Can you handle it when God's timeline doesn't match your calendar?
Dr. Price challenges us with this penetrating question: "Can you handle it if God makes you take an extra class and spend an extra semester for a job that you don't even know He's preparing for you? But the description is going to require you to take that extra count of the stuff."
This is where wisdom meets faith. Wisdom says, "God knows what He's doing, even when I don't understand." Faith says, "I'll follow where He leads, even when the path looks nothing like I planned."
Giving God Your Best in the Everyday
Here's the beautiful tension of the Christian life: we serve a God of perfect holiness with imperfect hearts. We want to give Him everything, yet we're painfully aware of our limitations.
But here's what God asks: Give Him the best you have.
Not perfection—your best. Not someone else's capacity—yours. Not what you'll have someday—what you have today.
As Colossians 3:17 instructs: "Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." Every decision. Every conversation. Every priority. Let it honor God.
And here's the grace in that command: when you give God your best, His mercy covers every deficit. When you fall short, His grace lifts you up. When you stumble, His faithfulness keeps you from being destroyed.
"I cannot put into words how much I love the Lord," Dr. Price confesses. "I cannot put into words how much he means to me. But this is one of the things that I can do when I look at gratitude and thanksgiving... it makes me want to look forward and just give him the very best."
Practical Steps: From Gratitude to Wisdom
So how do we actually live this out? How do we move from holiday gratitude to everyday wisdom?
- Practice daily remembrance. Each morning, before you check your phone or start your to-do list, spend five minutes remembering one way God led you, provided for you, or protected you recently.
- Ask for wisdom, not just facts. James 1:5 promises: "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you." Make this a regular prayer: "Lord, give me Your divine insight for this decision, this relationship, this challenge."
- Number your days intentionally. Look at your calendar for the coming week. What needs to be there? What doesn't honor God or serve your calling? Wisdom means saying no to good things to make room for God things.
- Grow in grace and knowledge. 2 Peter 3:18 commands us to grow—it's not optional. Commit to one Bible study class, join a Wednesday prayer call, establish a daily Scripture reading habit. Set your life up so that when God decides to bless, you're positioned to receive it.
- Stay connected to the body. Acts 2:42 describes the early church's devotion to teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer. Don't try to live the Christian life isolated. You need the church, and the church needs you.
Entering December with Spiritual Confidence
We're not entering the final month of the year with crossed fingers and vague hopes. We're entering with spiritual confidence—not in ourselves, but in the God who has brought us this far and promises to meet us with fresh mercy every morning.
Yes, you'll face challenges. Yes, the commercial noise will get loud. Yes, family dynamics might be complicated. But none of that changes this truth: God is still working. He's still doing things. He's still available to us.
And when you position your life with gratitude for what's behind and wisdom for what's ahead, you become someone God can use powerfully. You become someone who doesn't just survive the holidays—you thrive in the everyday.
Your Turn: Reflect & Respond
Where is God calling you to remember His faithfulness this week?
What area of your life needs divine wisdom right now?
Take a moment to journal your thoughts, share this post with someone who needs encouragement, or leave a comment below sharing one way God has led you this year. Let's build each other up as we close out this year strong and step into the next with confidence.
Listen to the Full Sermon: This blog post is based on Dr. Richard Price's powerful message "Gratitude Behind Us, Wisdom Before Us" delivered at Schrader Lane Church of Christ. For the complete sermon with all its rich illustrations and pastoral insights, visit our sermon archive.
Related Reading: Check out our previous post on "This Is Our Time: From Waiting to Working" for more encouragement on living in your God-given moment.
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