Each day is a new opportunity to "learn, to improve and to give thanks."
For many, however, there appears to be so much dissatisfaction with their lives they cannot do any of these things. What makes this very sad is our lives are how we see them and the ability to “learn, improve and give thanks” is up to us.
I am not unaware there are many people who have had a tough row to hoe. These same people have dealt with many problems I have not had to deal with, and they are facing challenges I do not. Though true, I think it is safe to say, I am dealing with problems and challenges they are not.
The reason for this comment is not to be unsympathetic, it is to simply point out we all are going through situations and circumstances that create difficulties in our lives. If we can agree this is true, then we must also agree how we deal with the problems and issues we may be facing is up to us.
I am not suggesting it is easy to overcome many of the hurdles people are facing. I just believe it is possible to “learn, improve, and give thanks” no matter the circumstance.
I have witnessed this firsthand. My wife and I had the privilege of visiting a woman we knew who was dying of cancer. She was bedridden and fully aware her time was short. Yet, when Bonnie and I visited her, the first words out of her mouth were, “how are you doing”.
To this day I have never been able to get past the question that came as this woman was facing the end of her life.
You may think, well, she knew she was dying so; she had accepted that and was focusing on something else. Perhaps this is true, but maybe, just maybe she saw each day she had left as an opportunity to “learn, improve and give thanks”.
Is this possible? Can someone see the end of their life as an opportunity? Oh, I hope so.
In fact, I believe because none of us know when our time is up, we should see each new day as a blessing and each new situation as an opportunity.
You see, our life, your life is a gift and what we do with the time associated with that gift is up to us. If we choose to see it as less than we hoped it would be, that is up to us too. But, if we choose to see it as a chance to “learn, improve and give thanks”. I believe we will see every situation we face differently.
I do not have a solution for the problems you may be dealing with in your life, but I do know the amount of energy and time you spend focusing on them is up to you.
I will close by saying, if you are intent on giving your time and energy to the issues you are facing in your life, why not see if you can use those issues to “learn, improve and give thanks”. If you do, you may just find you will appreciate the life you have been given simply because you can!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God’s will for your life in Christ Jesus”.
