Gratitude

Thank God for Something

There many things to be thankful for, but we do not always acknowledge them. Often we do not even realize their existence. We take so much for granted. Just looking at the title of this song reminds me to be thankful – to be grateful for all I have. As it is written in I Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV),

give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

So be grateful for everything, even when life seems hard and nothing seems to be going right, because the testing of our faith develops perseverance, and when when we persevere, we mature (James 1:3-4).

There is everything to be grateful for, and is nothing to lose for being grateful. Gratefulness gives us sight and heals wounds.

While some losses may truly hurt, we must never stop being grateful. Job all his wealth in a series of attacks and in a storm, yet he did not curse God. He lost all his children that night, too. But when he heard all these, he worshiped God. [Reflections on Job].

What can we do when it is hard to be grateful?

(This I learned from a blimeycow video, though I believe we are all aware of this on some level. They just put it into words and into a video.)

If you don’t want to watch the three-minute video, I’ll say it here: List all the things that got you to where you are at this very moment, and you’ll find a lot to be grateful for.

1. Your Internet connection’s slow: Be thankful you have Internet connection. Be thankful that you can read (you’re reading this right now).
2. You have finals coming up and you’re really stressed out: Be thankful for your education.
3. You tore a whole in your favorite sweater: Check the brand of that sweater; check its quality, the materials its made of – be thankful you could afford that sweater in the first place. (Or, if it was a gift, be thankful someone was kind enough to give it to you.)
4. You lost your job: Be thankful you had a job. Be thankful for all you were able to purchase because of that job. Be thankful for what your house or apartment. Be thankful for the food on your plate.
5. You lost a family member: Be thankful for the time you had with them. Be thankful that they’re no longer suffering (especially if they were sick). Be thankful that they were cared for while they were alive. (If they were murdered, though I hope they weren’t, be thankful it was a quick death.)

There are a lot of other situations you could be dealing with and a lot of variables in these situations that make yours unique. My list was no where near comprehensive. But I hope you get the idea. There is much to be thankful for, even in dire situations. You just have to look and see.