IF WE LIVE IN GRATITUDE, WE WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED! The form of this world is passing away.
When I was a dupe a very long time ago, I was not the least bit thankful for anything. I suppose I was like a dumb beast in a way. Where did this get me? Nowhere! I wanted that color TV set. I wanted this or that. I didn't really care much for anyone besides myself. Of course, it's so easy to not be thankful in our busy lives, isn't it? Everyone is running to and fro with their own special and secret affairs. To have abundant life, we need to concentrate on what we do have, not on what we'd like to have or don't have. If we want to feel wealthy, we just need to count all of the things we already have that money can't buy. Let us not be thankless and graceless people; for that, dear reader, will never get us anywhere close to being happy and fulfilled. Let us face up to our failures and shortcomings. We need better self-esteem and confidence too; those of us who don't have it (Proverbs 3: 26 RSV). Let us mortify our passions. Let us ask from above for the repulsion and victory over our negative habits (Psalm 103: 12). Then thanksgiving is much easier.
Even if we do things out of ignorance, we can have our transgressions removed far away from us and obtain this wonderful inner peace with thanksgiving. Let us truly and sincerely believe in and invite the God of all creation under the roof of our souls to help us make a brand-new beginning. Let us ask, in humility, for the enlightening of our darkened reasoning. Dark and evil spirits are always trying to gain access to our intellect, just like computer viruses. They try to destroy what is rightfully ours, namely, sound morals.
Hold on to your hat now! You know that which makes the rest of the human race sad can certainly make your joy greater. How do you rest in that? Just don't be subject to the world's culture and turmoil. Enjoy the spiritual things and experience God's presence. Following is the secret: "For the form of this world is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7: 31). Be thankful for this: "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him'" (1 Corinthians 2: 9). Happiness and joy are not spatial, like the Nasdaq or a piece of real estate; they are behavioral.
When we strive to learn the secrets concerning the heights of humility and the riches of poverty, we come away with a very special thankfulness. God Almighty deserves our praise and thanksgiving. We can even be thankful to God for a job loss, money woes, or even a negative report from the doctor. How can this be, you may say? Well, it brings us to prayer and the reliance on God alone!
In closing out this topic, I must mention that it is impossible to please God without faith. If we ask him for faith he gives it, and liberally to some, especially to those who fast; those who lay aside earthly cares.
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