August Newsletter Column....
I know many people who view their life like a glass that is
half-empty. “I can’t believe this
happened to me!” “I missed out
again.” “I wish I had a better
job.” “Why can’t my spouse get with
it?” It’s like they live their
life always regretting, always upset, and always needing more. These folks are NEVER SATISFIED!
There
is nothing wrong with ambition, nothing wrong with wanting to improve one’s lot
in life, and nothing wrong with seeking after more, but not at the detriment of
counting the blessings of God in your life. God has blessed us more than we can ever imagine or
understand, and we just sail along in life feeling like we have been deprived
and have nothing to rejoice about.
We focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do have.
It
is easy to take for granted being able to breathe until we meet someone with a
lung disease. It is easy to take
for granted our ability to see until we meet someone who cannot. It is easy to take for granted the job
we have until we encounter someone who can’t find a job. It is easy to take for granted our
family until we learn of someone whose child was killed in a drive-by shooting
or in a movie theatre. It is easy
to take for granted the home we live in until we meet someone who has lost
their home because they lost their job.
It is easy to take for granted our freedom in this country until we meet
someone from a country where they cannot choose how many kids they can have,
what kind of car they can drive, or which god they can worship.
The
Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica to “rejoice always, pray
without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus” (I Thess.5:16-18).
Can you do this? Can you
count the blessings you do have rather than the blessings you don’t? Can you take stock and inventory your
life at how blessed you really are?
If you can, then your life will be a wonderful experience!
