05/12/2026
Our Director for The Center for Well-Being at H4WH, Kimberly Smiley, shared this devotion on gratitude at our staff meeting today, and it was too good not to share!
The One Who Came Back
Scripture:
"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks."
— Luke 17:15-16 (NKJV)
Reflection
In Luke 17, Jesus healed ten lepers, men who had been outcast, suffering, and desperate for mercy. All ten received healing, but only one returned to thank Jesus.
This story reminds us that while many are quick to ask God for blessings, fewer remember to return with gratitude once those blessings arrive. The one who came back understood that gratitude is not just good manners—it is worship.
How often do we pray for breakthroughs, healing, provision, or open doors, and then move on without pausing to thank God when He answers? Gratitude acknowledges God as the source of every good thing.
Jesus asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” This question challenges us to examine our own hearts. Are we among the nine who receive and move on, or are we the one who returns in thanksgiving?
True gratitude deepens our relationship with God. It keeps us humble, aware, and connected to the One who provides.
Today, choose to be the one who comes back—giving praise, honoring God, and recognizing His goodness.
Grateful-Being grateful means feeling and expressing deep appreciation, thankfulness, or indebtedness for benefits, kindness, or blessings received. It involves acknowledging the positive aspects of life and recognizing the help or support provided by others, moving beyond simple thanks to a deeper emotional appreciation.
Reflection Questions
Have you taken time recently to thank God for answered prayers?
In what ways have you been like the nine instead of the one?
How can gratitude become a daily act of worship in your life?
What blessings have you overlooked that deserve thanksgiving today?
How can returning to God in gratitude strengthen your faith?