Choosing To Be Grateful --Receiving An Abundant Life

It took me a long time to understand how God could say choose gratitude in all circumstances.  I remember when Charles passed away, I was not grateful.  I was now alone, had super big decisions to make, a ton of things to learn that Charles always took care of and it scared me silly.  This was by far the biggest heartache and challenge I’d ever had to face.  How could I be thankful when life just hurts?

Someone pointed out to me —it doesn’t say be grateful for the circumstance; it says be grateful in the circumstance

LIFE IS HARD

When we choose to be grateful, we aren’t choosing to pretend life is perfect.  Life is hard, sometimes daily.  Who has a perfect life?  We none do.  Challenges come from all sides.  

We can be faced with relational challenges, financial uncertainty due to a lost job, health issues that have upended us, emotional hurdles just trying to stay grounded, and the list could go on and on.

WHAT DO WE CLING TO?

As we face all these situations, we each are required to find something to cling to. Otherwise depression and despair will move in and further burden us with more than we can bear.

When we are choosing to be grateful in the circumstance, we are looking beyond how we feel, and instead look outward and upward to a connection with the greatest link to life that exists!  Even if we feel spiritually dry and disconnected from God, he will meet us where we are.

TAKING OUR EYES OFF OURSELVES

This perspective takes our eyes off ourselves and turns them toward God where life can be lived with a measure of peace that cannot be found elsewhere. That’s a reason to be grateful!

SO MANY BLESSINGS

I know when I’m particularly ‘down’, it doesn’t take long to look around me and see plenty of reasons to say thank you!  Even in my darkest hour, God was with me and remains so every single day!  I can look at the beautiful green landscape out my window and know that life is beginning again after a hard winter.  

I can go outdoors and stand in the sunshine and feel the gentle warmth caressing my skin, see the birds and squirrels flitting about and see the occasional turkey in the yard, a young fox that is so beautiful, or chickens which provides eggs for our family.

As my cat comes near and rubs his soft fur on my legs I know that in his unique way, he cares for me.

FAMILY IS ALSO AMAZING

And more than any animal, I know I have children and grandchildren who care for me.  There’s food on my table, water in my well, heat when the day is cool and air conditioning when it’s too humid to enjoy summer.

When I think about all I have, even in my deepest loss, I know I still live the abundant life.  I know this because the most valuable possession I own is the salvation I received when I accepted Christ as my Savior.  No one can take that from me.  In this frame of mind, I consider myself rich!  It’s a gift which has limitless value.

CHOOSE GOD

By choosing to see God… right in the middle of an imperfect world and circumstance— I am choosing to live the abundant life.  It isn’t a forced life, it just flows, even if imperfectly!  I am grateful!

Photo Credit: Gratitude