No matter how good or bad you have it, you must wake up each day thankful for your life, because someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.
Truth be told, there is always “something” to be thankful for. There are ‘always’ others worse off in this world.
The Mammy Wagon philosopher will have us know that “No Condition is
Permanent” – and this is a true statement because nothing is permanent, and no matter what you are going through or what is happing in your life now, “this too shall pass”. It’s not always easy to accept, but knowing this helps keep things in perspective.
Try to remember that things could be so much worse than whatever you are going through – keep it all in perspective. Someday it will be over! Everything comes to an end. And often, after you’ve survived, you find some good things about the bad times.
Be thankful for all that you have and try not to worry excessively for the things you don’t have, struggling every single day to get. When you have difficulties and problems so overwhelming that you feel that you can literally lose your mind, remember “this too shall pass”. Get up and get back on track. Even after an emotional breakdown, crying, being mad and angry about everything around you, get on track as fast as you can and continue to work in the right direction. Persistence, patience and perseverance are the three most helpful actions in tough situations.
When St Paul wrote “all things work together for our highest good”, he makes us understand that the limitations of our own ‘human’ experience causes us to define things as wrong or right, but in the end, all things happen for a reason – we are just not ready to see it. Embracing the wrongs as well the rights with as much joy and gratitude helps us to realise that things are always happening for a reason, and always happening for the better. I look for the growth in every setback or challenge, and revel in the happy moments when they come.
St Paul further tells us: “In everything give thanks”. Yes, we should be thankful always. Keep in mind that God is already in the tomorrow we worry about, and is always working behind the scenes for what is best for us.
Stop the complaints. It helps to stop complaining about everything that is going wrong in our lives and do something, anything, to make improvements. Even if that something is just making an effort to enjoy and be grateful for what you do have.
Trust and have faith. I have trust that everything is unfolding exactly as God planned, and faith that I am always taken care of by God who knows all I need and want.
