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.
I practice inserting gratitude into painful circumstances.
I go deeper. I trust that no matter what hits (and the hits keep on comin’), God is my treasure. My hope and help. My courage to face each day and each person in front of me. He makes me brave. I can walk on this troubled earth with Christ alone as my prize, my light.
A practice of gratitude.
How about you? What is your current trial? Are you walking alone in darkness? Do you have to face a person who has caused pain? Have you gone backward, perhaps suffering from spiritual dementia? Join me in prayer, as we look to Jesus, our treasure. Yet again.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the ugly beautiful. As we stumble in the darkness of this grievous, messy world, remind us to mine for You. Remind us to mine for small things we can be grateful for, even in the toughest places. Even in the messy. We continue to practice gratefulness, one day at a time, slowly growing. You are our treasure. Our Pearl of Great Price.
Amen
For further reading:
Hi Kristin, I know your beautiful mom. I was so glad to read your blog on gratefulness I have just been through a long period of great physical pain and had reached spiritual dementia. Many were praying for me and it was their prayers that got me through it. I didn’t practice gratitude until I felt better. I look back now and wish I had read this blog in my dark days. It would have helped me be grateful for many wonderful parts of my life. I will do better next time I hit a rough patch. Thanks for your words and thanks Jesus for answering many prayers said for my healing. Blessings, Meredith
Thank you, Meridith. I am very sorry to hear about your pain. Praise God, that you are feeling better! And yes, thank you, Jesus!