Gifts from God
- Dec 9, 2025
- 3 min read
“Life is a gift from God, given to us so that we might learn to love God and neighbor…life is a gift given by God and not a right that can be demanded by the recipient. It is a gift and will always be a gift until the day it returns to the Giver. It follows that all the features of one’s life, including physical and mental health, are also gifts. These are not rights to be expected by any man, even were he to receive them all in full measure; and, were he to be deprived of any one of them, it should not be seen as an unfair stripping of his rights. The proper response to these gifts is not expectation but thanksgiving. One must be thankful and know that such free gifts may be withdrawn at any moment.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh, Matthew the Poor)
“…our character is a gift from God. If your character is inclined toward a quieter life, you can only change it to a certain extent; trying to change it entirely could disrupt your inner peace. If your character is more social, isolating yourself and praying 24/ 7 will not suit you—it could drive you crazy, as it’s not where the peace of your heart is…Godliness is not outward but an inner state of the heart. One can display an outward “form” of godliness, that is, visible (2 Timothy 3:5). But those who seek to be admired for their religiosity lack its spiritual dynamism (2 Timothy 3:5). The spiritual power of godliness is a gift of God as the apostle writes in 2 Peter, “His divine power has given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).” (Bishop Emilianos, Fr. Basil)
“The whole world has been given to us for communion with God. It is a gift we often refuse in that we want the world to be something less. We prefer utility to the life of grace. We want to know, “What is it good for?” When we should ask, “What is God’s good gift?...Grace is a gift from God that completes what is lacking and heals what is spiritually infirm in each of us. Grace is an unseen, mystical, Godly quality that we receive when we pray and when we participate in the Sacraments. Grace is supposed to change us. We are supposed to let it change us.” (Father Stephen Freeman, Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis)
“Living without gratitude is not life. To be conscious of living implies being conscious of life and everything that makes life possible. This naturally leads us to the contemplation of God's greatness, love, and kindness. In giving thanks, we rejoice in the knowledge that everything we have, and life itself, is a gift. Gratitude is our natural human reaction to the awesome magnificence of God and His creation. In gratitude we accept who we are, satisfied with what we have and appreciative for everything that surrounds us. Peace and true pleasure come from that calm acceptance. Quiet dignity and humble fulfillment displace the anxiety of restless souls when true gratitude exists.” (Fr. Alexander Garklavs)
“The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of freedom. The Holy Spirit not only unites us but also ensures our infinite diversity in the Church: at Pentecost the tongues of fire were ‘cloven’ or divided, descending separately upon each one of those present. The gift of the Spirit is a gift to the Church, but it is at the same time a personal gift, appropriated by each in her or his own way. ‘There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit‘ (1 Corinthians 7:4). Life in the Church does not mean the ironing out of human variety, nor the imposition of a rigid and uniform pattern upon all alike, but the exact opposite. The saints, so far from displaying a drab monotony, have developed the most vivid and distinctive personalities. It is not holiness but evil which is dull.” (Metropolitan Kallistos Ware)
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