— Hebrews 3.15
Thankfulness. Not something that comes naturally to some people, particularly in youth. And I am sure we have all had our days when we do not feel particularly thankful for the mounds of laundry, or stacks of bills, long hours of work, or crying children that await us. But we should be. Because no matter what craziness we have going on in our lives, there is always someone who has it much worse than we do.
Why is it that as a nation, we are willing to give tons of money to people who suffer devastation from hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods (and rightly so), but we still will not act thankful for what we have, and bristle at anyone who suggest we should? It amazes me the number of people who will so openly complain, on a constant basis, about their jobs, how hard school is, how much they hate so and so, how much such and such annoys them. And yes, I am all for freedom of speech, but really, is your life that bad? Tell that to the kids that child protective services have to remove from homes because their parents are raping them. Then that to the quadriplegic trapped in the body he once was able to control before a drunk driver changed all that. Tell that to the man who had to put his newlywed bride in a nursing home, and turn off her feeding tube as per her wishes.
I am not trying to stifle anyone's voice, I am just suggesting that your life may seem a little more manageable if, the next time you go to utter a complaint, instead you offer a prayer of thanksgiving.
So, thank you Lord, for every bump in the road, every emotional scar, every blessing, every setback, every yes, and every no. Because each has shaped me, and guided me to further carry out your will for my life.
