Day Thirty | 31 Days of Thanksgiving
In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
How rich do you feel? Obviously, I don’t mean to go check the balance on your checkbook or your savings.
How rich does your life feel to you? How rich does your life feel to others?
You Can’t Always Get What you Want…
Here’s the thing, Bonhoeffer is right! As individuals, we receive SO much more than we give. We cannot possibly give more than we receive, because we cannot reciprocate to the same number of folks that give to us. Yet, we grumble anyway. Quite possibly because what we receive is not what we want, rather what we need.
When we stop to take inventory of all that we have at our disposal (talents, resources, ability, connections, etc.) we realize that there is a lot we have been given on a silver platter! However, because it was handed to us, we do not place much emphasis or value on these things that are given us.
And if You Try Sometime, You Get What You Need…
Life’s rich pageant offers up a veritable cornucopia of opportunities. Some of them are even what you want! In every opportunity or situation that arises, you are given the choice. The choice to accept what has been given you and roll with it, or to be intentional with the opportunity that has presented itself.
Let’s face it, not everything that happens to us, seems at first, to be a good thing. Or even something that is desirable in our lives. Yet, since it has occurred and is staring you straight in the face you have to make a choice about what to do with the opportunity. If something good has been handed to you, choose to be intentional with how you utilize this opportunity. Don’t take it for granted, as it can be so temptingly easy to do.
But what do you do when the opportunity isn’t great? What if it requires you to step out of your comfort zone? From experience, I can tell you complaining about it and being anxious do not accomplish a thing. Rather, a full on attack of actually trying and being intentional about this less than stellar opportunity is the correct course of action. I believe it’s the correct course of action for two reasons: one, you might learn something and two, you will show yourself that you can persevere. And if you persevere, chances are good that you will see something that you needed.
Imagine…
…being grateful for simply having a roof over your head, a working heat source, food on the table, transportation and good health. Imagine being content and grateful for the basics in life. Can you imagine how rich a life would be to simply delight in the simple?
[Here's the link to all of the 31 Days of Thanksgiving posts.]
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