The Practice of Gratitude Part 6

Have you unintentionally crossed paths with someone who has hurt you? How did you respond? With thankfulness?

Neither did I.

Recently, this happened  to me. It threw me, running into others who were a party to my deep pain. As I marched forward in faith, seeing these people stumbled my steps and ground was lost on my victory journey. Darkness  closed in again.

How can I be thankful here God?

This morning, I opened my gratitude  journal and sat for 15 minutes. Nothing.

I often get spiritual dementia and forget where my treasure lies. When faced with these people, I found myself thinking: Seriously God? Now this? Now them? After the shock left, I didn’t go to thankfulness and smiley faces.

Next, I grabbed my Bible after gratitude failed to come. In my rabbit trails, I landed on Colossians 2:3:

In Him are stored all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~ISV

IN HIM. He is where my treasure is. He is my wealth. It always comes back to Him. Practicing gratitude is mining for treasure in and with God (the keeper of wisdom and knowledge) through my trials.

So, I picked up my  journal again and thanked God for God. I thanked Him for yet another opportunity to look in the Bible for answers. Yet another opportunity to remember that no matter how dark it gets, my God can always be trusted. His light is always there. I mine for treasure, filling up with thankfulness as my perspective shifts, my mind is clear to see  blessings in the  trial.

It is messy. This ugly beautiful of life. Therefore, I  practice giving thanks when life stinks. Practice. Practice. Practice. Slowly learning, slowly growing.Continue Reading