By Mical Imbukwa
“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” Henry Ward Beecher
A story is told of a man who was outraged, so he reigned heavy insults on his offender. Insults that were rightfully meant to offend the offender and raise a rough argument. The offender breathed in and of all the responses he could gather, was a thank you. “Thank you,” he said.
The offended man did not see this coming from his offender. His expectation was retaliation from his wrongdoer, just as he had done, but a “thank you” was it. Thank you for what? You may ask. The offender had realized his mistake and apologized but the offended could hear nothing of it. A “thank you” did not end the storm, but it cooled it a little.
Thanksgiving may not bring us what we want, but it assures us peace. When you focus on thanksgiving instead of complaints, you start noticing the good things in your life – even things you hardly knew existed. Gratitude introduces abundance in our lives. We feel free because we realize we don’t really need all the stuff we are tempted with.
So, going forward, develop an attitude of gratitude. Do not grumble about your job; it is someone else’s dream job. If you are disgruntled with your one pair of shoes, remember someone does not have legs. If you are dissatisfied with one meal a day, think of someone who has not accessed food for days.
In prayer, focus not on asking for more, but on thanking providence for the things you have. More importantly, be grateful for the things you are yet to receive. This attitude will change your life for the better.
