Faith - Hope - Gratitude
Cultivating a heart of gratitude is good for us, for our relationships, and our health. Why then, is it so crazy hard to maintain an attitude of gratitude along the way?
Cultivating a heart of gratitude is good for us, for our relationships, and our health. Why then, is it so crazy hard to maintain an attitude of gratitude along the way?
For me I’d say that pain makes my gratitude wane.
Over the last 3 years I’ve had 2 types of cancer, one major - stage III oral cancer, one not as major - skin cancer - melanoma, and an autoimmune disease that loves to flare when I’m tired, and not to mention the 4 minor surgeries in the last 2 years.
Cancer and an autoimmune disease is part of my life now that needs to be managed well so I can do all that I like to do. Since I’m one of those cup half-full kind of people I find that gratitude helps.
It reminds me to look around and see all that is there that is good instead of focusing solely on the limitations.
I remind myself what I’m grateful for:
The special people in my life.
My family.
The opportunity I get to speak, share, and write about hope.
My health is still pretty excellent considering!
My faith in God, and in His purposes and His promises.
My hope in a good God.
Perhaps, if you are like me where I tend to connect the “gratitude” I do have to “hope” and “faith”. I can welcome “hope” because I know that everything will eventually turn out for good. I “hope” because I put my trust and “faith” in God and who He is. “Hope” and “faith” helps my attitude toward gratitude grow.
Yet there are days when I can see my gratitude diminishing. For me it happens when the pain doesn’t stop … for days….or for weeks. For you it may be different.
Sometimes I wonder if I contribute to the own pain because I am struggling and holding on too tightly to a specific outcome, or worse yet even trying to control it. Are you like that?
When we do that we are putting our faith and hope in people, ideas, or things. And we all know that things are not always reliable, consistent, or even good for us on the best of days. It may be what we know or are comfortable with. Maybe it is because we are afraid of the unknown and automatically assume is won’t be as good as what we know or experience now.
Maybe we need reminding that the goal is not the important thing but the journey of transformation is what is important.
Transformation of body, soul and spirit. The whole package – not just a few bits and pieces.
Sometimes I get caught up and then focus on the goal rather than on the journey. Am I choosing comfort rather than transformation? For sure I am – especially when I’m in pain. Might I be putting my faith in my own outcomes rather than in God’s? On the waning days when I convince myself that the pain never seems to end – of course I am – pain isn’t any fun. It limits me from doing what I want to be doing. Trust me – the list is long.
I seem to keep forgetting what I believe, value, and cherish. So I need reminders.
During the days when my attitude of gratitude wanes, I ask myself questions to help remember, reset, and refocus my expectations for the journey. They go something like this:
Am I still trusting and having faith in God whom I believe is a good God (in spite of my circumstances), or … am I trusting…(fill in the blank) instead?
Do I still hope in God’s promises (in spite of what I may be seeing or believing right before me), or am I hoping … in …(fill in the blank) instead?
Have I released my own expectations about how things “should” turn out because I believe God has a purpose for me, or … do I believe it should be … (fill in the blank)?
Is my focus on the journey to learn, grow, and heal along the way or is it my comfort or … (fill in the blank) that takes away my focus?
Do I still believe God is a good God or that …(fill in the blank)
Am I remembering Whose I am or who others say I am, or … (fill in the blank)?
Am I embracing today as a gift on the journey of life or am I … wishing …(fill in the blank) instead?
As we reflect on questions like these and the answers they uncover, we get a better impression of where we are placing our focus. When we know, we can choose to make adjustments.
Another question I like to ask that helps me reset is to take time to consider and ask God:
What do you have for me today, Lord?
When we ask God to help us to live with expectancy for TODAY and cultivate a heart filled with gratitude and step into the fullness of life that He has for us today – it makes a difference. I think it also helps build our resilience to maneuver through those tough, challenging days.
Knowing where our hope comes from and recognizing where, in today’s circumstances, we are placing our faith – our hope and faith can help our gratitude grow.
So…what helps your gratitude grow? What are some of the practices you use to help cultivate gratitude? Be sure to comment below!
Great reminders of how we should have gratitude, even in the difficult times. I like your questions to remind of Hope and Faith during the low times