Thankful in Difficult Times

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

It is easy to be thankful and gracious when things are positive and uncomplicated in your life.  When things are going well it takes very little effort to have a positive attitude and look forward to the future.  But what happens when things are not good? What happens when life seems to hand you one difficult experience after the other? How can you have an attitude of gratitude when things look so bleak and disheartening?  

The answer is simply this… there is always, always something to be thankful for in your life. Any day that you are able to wake up and see a new day is an opportunity to give thanks and a chance to make things better than the day before.  With every breath you inhale, it is an indication that you still have  a purpose and you still have meaning in this world. Regardless of the obstacles we face, a new day gives us another opportunity to get it right, make it better or learn ways to cope with where we are in life. Often we are so focused on the negative that we fail to see the positive moments in our lives. We miss the joy by being so focused on  the past and present pain.

I believe the key to staying thankful is to focus on what you have in your life that is important and valuable to you. From me, I have to focus on my son. He is the source of a large part of the happiness and joy in my life. I also have to be thankful for the ability to use words to reach people. The point I am trying to make is that if you focus on what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t have or what you are lacking then it makes being thankful a lot easier to achieve. When you devote your energy to finding things in your life that you are grateful for, you are positioning yourself for a better attitude toward life in general.

Now please understand, I am not telling you not to desire or even work toward having more and greater. We should all seek to find ways to better ourselves and move forward in life. What I am saying in that while we are in the process of transitioning ourselves to better places, we should also celebrate ourselves and our lives right where we are now. I believe that being thankful in all areas of your life leaves you open for positive energy and for positive things to happen.  In moments when we are at our lowest and things are not working out as expected, being thankful in spite of these difficulties gives us an opportunity to prove how strong and dedicated we really are in the face of adversity. Not only does it show our true character to the world around us, but it also shows our true selves to God. I believe that God rewards those that are cheerful givers and thankful for what He has provided. Being thankful and releasing a negative attitude literally opens up our lives to receiving what God truly wants to give us. So during this season of thanksgiving, take the time to sit back and look at your life and what you have it in at this moment. There is something to be grateful and thankful about whether it is family, friends or even your health and mental welfare. Above all else, be thankful for simply being here, being alive and being able to live yet another day. Things may not be where you want or even need them to be, but if you are breathing and your heart is still beating then you have purpose, you have hope and you have an opportunity to make changes and move the direction of your life toward a greater purpose. Now that is something to truly be thankful for…

 ©November 2014