Practicing Gratitude
Because of various health issues and career challenges, I have often asked God for help. Always, in one way or another, God has answered my sincere prayers and longings, one way or another. Unfortunately, when God’s grace leads me to the next step in my life, I usually fail to look back and appreciate what God has done for me. Whether it’s helping me mentally, physically or spiritually or leading me to a job or relationship, I soon forget it was He who brought the needed changes. In addition, not only do I, myself, take credit for my situation, but also God slowly fades from my mind until I nearly forget His grace and involvement at all.
Of course, once I’m healed or rescued by some good event, I’m not satisfied for long. I go through the same process of seeing my own abilities and strengths as being more important than God’s guidance. I believe I deserve more recognition and success than I had before. However, my own self-effort isn’t enough, and I often fail.
Then the whole cycle repeats itself. When I get sick, or I am stuck without a job, I pray for God’s mercy and grace to help guide me. Then again, it doesn’t take long before I wrongly interpret all my health care successes as a result of my own strength and perseverance, and once again God is pushed into the background or dropped completely.
It’s the same thing with my relationships as well. I receive the help I have asked for, but usually that assistance isn’t acknowledged. In other words, my pride breaks in and I decide I probably didn’t really need help.
I know that I’m hardly the only one to utilize this process of ignoring the contributions of others. Our society is big with the “please” but not really good with the “thank you.” After getting help, many individuals minimize its impact and maximize the perception of their own effort. I have found that this lack of gratitude particularly apparent when a favor is asked for in job situations. The boss asks coworkers for help and, without showing any real appreciation, simply moves on the next job related favor.
Now in my own life I’m attempting to develop a sense of gratitude not only for receiving help from others, but also taking a few moments each day to reflect on my many blessings I’ve received. I only need to consider how extraordinarily difficult other people and countries endure to remember my own good fortune. With famine and oppression occurring throughout the world, I am fortunate enough to have the basics like security and a wonderful wife. (She has consistently and cheerfully helped me with my issues I’ve had to manage.)
I don’t seem to learn very much when things are going well and I tend to “throw God overboard” and trust myself in all I do. In other relationships, I assume, in my pride, that others need help and not me. Without taking stock of my experiences, I simply move into the next thing I want or need.
So now, I must consciously analyze my situation and give credit to God and others instead of myself when it’s appropriate. So many times, I’ve received much needed guidance and help, and now I try to be truly grateful for it. As I move into the future, I will attempt to recognize when I need help and ask for it. Then I also will try to realize that help isn’t simply a stepping stone for my own future needs achievements. This attitude of humility - a humility that doesn’t minimize help - can help me develop a new sense of purpose. It has been a steep learning curve, however.
I’d like to finish my newsletter with a poem that has been recently published in my poetry collection called Poems of Faith, Hope and Love. It describes gratitude as a form of contentment:
At Last I Am Content
When I was young I’d wander off into the desert wilderness.
At times, I’d try to search for God, but mostly life was selfishness.
I had no real humility, so pride ruled my emotions.
I let my mind run wild and free and had no pure devotion.
I believed I was exceptional and trusted my ambition.
I only thought about myself, but somehow God was missing.
Eventually I lost my way, and trouble seemed to follow me.
I couldn’t live a single day without my future haunting me.
But gradually I understood that fame and recognition,
left me stranded on my own, while I made poor decisions.
Yet, now God is my closest friend, and I seek no fame or status.
At last with God I am content; the rest is only madness.
By seeing God as being active in my life, I’m learning that gratitude is important for my physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Thanks for your support. See you next week!
(Please remember these are my own ideas, and I’m not attempting to persuade anyone to change theirs.)
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
“Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings, as we express heartfelt gratitude, and as we pray for others.” David A. Bedner
https://www.facebook.com/writerjohnfzurn
Photo credits: joshua-earle-cGwfkwHmt98-unsplash; personal photo
