This weekend I attended a women’s group with my cousin. I walked away with a fresh perspective on gratitude so I wanted to share.
When you think about things that you’re grateful for there are usually standard things right at the top. For most of us it’s family, friends and shelter. She challenged us to think outside of those things are other things we’re really grateful for. Have you ever thought about what life would be like if we didn’t have the means to properly dispose of our garbage?? How would life be surrounded by garbage and the smell?
I mentioned in another post that I was going through something at work and I was really pissed off about it. Internally I did my fair share of grumbling and “this is not right and this is not fair”. I complained. I couldn’t understand why God was allowing me to be placed in this situation.
Towards the end of the meeting she read a mission story called “Being Thankful when Betrayed”. It was about two young chinese women who were imprionsed and set to be execueted. They were imprionsed for being christians, and refused to renounced their faith. They were led to a court yard to face their execution and told to kneel. Moments later their pastor appeared with a gun in hand. The prision officials made a deal with the pastor. He would be spared if he agreed to perform the execution himself. When they realized what was going on they wanted to say a few words. “We want to thank you for all you have done for us. You ministered to us and baptized us. If it were not for you we may not have come to know Christ as our Saviour. Everyone goes through ups and downs in their faith, and we forgive you. We hope that you find your way back. May God reward you for all the good you have done. We die with gratitude”. The pastor then shot them. Then he was shot by the guards.
I was in awe. How could these young women see anything but red at their very own pastor for this kind of betrayal? My heart swelled. We discussed the story and came to the conclusion that this was Christ manifested. I want to strive to be like that. “In all things give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. This scripture doesn’t say to give thanks for all things, but through everything that we are allowed to go through we should have a thankful heart. If you believe that God has it under control. If you know that he can see the beginning from the end and he’ll make it alright this is possible.
During this time of year we are normally more cognizant of things to be thankful for. Challenge yourself to start thinking about the non-traditional things to be grateful for and see if you don’t start to see things differently.
~A heart of gratitude
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