I had a great disappointment this week. In fact, in the past 6 months I have faced a string of events that have been disappointing and just downright unfair. However, what happened on Friday was straw that broke the camel's back. I have to be honest. Right now I am feeling as if I'm the "almost girl"-almost talented enough, almost beautiful enough, almost favorable enough, and always coming in second. Regardless of the truth, the recent events I have faced have left me feeling as if I have been knocked down and kicked while down. It's a fact that life is not fair and things happen for reasons we will never understand. I do not know why things have been so challenging, but I know that I am not the same person I was 6 months ago and I am grateful for that.
That is what I want to focus on today-gratefulness and gratitude. I was inspired by what I heard someone say today. So often we can be grateful for things-things which we are NOT. We can be thankful that we are not. Perhaps we are thankful that we are not like someone else, thankful that we are not in someone else's financial situation, thankful that we do not look like someone else, etc. May I suggest that we approach gratefulness from a positive rather than negative viewpoint. Choose to acknowledge gratefulness on what you do have.
One of the biggest struggles that we face is basing our contentment on comparing ourselves to others. What a different world it would be if we did not compare ourselves with others. Would we even be able to truly know what discontentment was? While our world may run from this competitive viewpoint, God does not see us in that light. He has no favorites so how on earth can He possibly compare to anyone else. What an amazing thought, we are so special to Him we can't even begin to compare to anyone else because there is no one else like us.
Regardless of what you believe, we all acknowledge that we are all truly unique and different people and we celebrate our diversity. So whether you believe in God or not, we can at least accept our uniqueness and realize that the only person we can compare ourself with is ourself. We can only strive to be the best version of ourselves not someone else.
It is hard to feel thankful and joy amidst adverse circumstances. We often times think we will find thankfulness and gratitude once we find joy, however thankfulness is the vessel in which we can truly find happiness.
I leave you with this quote from Victor Hugo.
He who is not capable of enduring poverty is not capable of being free
Poverty is more than just a financial hardship, poverty is the art of doing with out and letting go. I think poverty can even be a season of famine within the heart when we face the loss of security, friendship, community. Anyway you look at it poverty can produce endurance and it changes who we are.
My challenge to you is to find thankfulness in what you do have wherever you are in your life. If you are truly honest with yourself, you may find you have more to be grateful for than you realized. May you be humble in spirit and rich in gratitude!
Oh Meri! This is exactly what I have been praying that I do! Pain and disappointment has been around a whole lot for us too lately. Trying to push through this has been quite the trial. But you are so right and I too want to be thankful for what I have and not look at it in a comparison sort of way. I have been finding joy in the small things and making them big. It is the attitude of gratitude! Jon found this for me the other day and I posted it on my wall to remember.
ReplyDelete"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things." Philip 4:8
"Have you ever had someone say, You need to change your attitude? How we approach the challenges of life determines the kind of person we will become. If we ponder negative things, our frame of mind will soon turn sour and negative. If we fill our minds with the things of God however, the opposite will occur and we will begin to see the world as God sees it."
I believe the author is saying change the way you look at life. See what God has given you and focus on those things no matter how small they may be.
Thanks Meri for the continual reminder to enjoy the things God has given me!