GRATEFUL LIVING (Gratitude through it all)

During difficult times, you hear the phrase “Everything happens for a reason. Be Strong. Do not give in” or “God has a reason for everything my dear, be grateful in all things”  And do not get me wrong, these are all true and meaningful words of encouragement people need to give one another in times of frustration, depression and what not. And for some people, it is very hard to let the words sink in because when you are in pain or in a destructive condition, those words turn into a language you can not understand. It is very tough to be grateful and positive when you are the one in the situation. You would want to, but your mind wont let you until you understand what it means to be  grateful and how it can change your life and way of thinking.

Everybody goes through challenging and distressing situations everyday of their lives. And if you look on the bright side, it is no death sentence at all because it is not the reduction in problems or challenges that will make you happy. For instance, you may have everything that you could possibly dream of… but it does not end there, because you would want more of it or something else and that makes you discontented, therefore not grateful and unhappy. However, there are others who face misfortunes that we would not wish  for ourselves yet they are grateful, therefore happy. Isn’t that beautiful?

In other words, you become truly happy when you are grateful for every moment in your life; be it good or bad. So it is not the happy people that are grateful but rather the reverse.

I believe that being grateful is about being overly thankful for everything freely given to you by God and how you have manged to make something out of the free thing. It does not matter how big  or small you have achieved but the fact that you are not slacking or being static. For example, we do not earn or trade something to be to be alive. It is free. Life is a valuable gift given to us from above, in it comes lots of moments, opportunities and second chances. And we should be grateful for, and in, every moment, and everyday of our lives because we have second chances and opportunities in life to do something worthwhile. Everything that comes with life and living is a gift in a gift. We can choose how we want our story to end with the opportunities given to us by God.

“When times are stable and the sea is calm and secure, no one is really tested. Similarly, God puts us to a test not to destroy us but to strengthen our faith in him and make our lives meaningful. Many Christians  do not read the Word so they are misinformed, God never said that we will not face temptations, hardship, suffering and the likes. Of course we will, but his  promise to us is that He will be with us through it all. Those who yearn for him really find him.

When you are grateful, you live with a sense of satisfaction and joy not discontentment and fear. Do not be grateful once in a while. Live gratefully everyday!

With love,

Sika Sunshine