I'm working on being more thankful. You would think by now that I'd have it down, but it seems that there are more barriers between me and true gratefulness than one might think.
For one thing there are people who don't treat me right, or who I don't think treat me the way
I think I so richly deserve to be treated. For example unhelpful people who answer "help-lines," but who offer no help at all, instead wasting vast quantities of "my" time, with which I would no doubt do great things if only. . . . That is a rather benign, self-deprecating example. I would imagine that with very little thought you could identify people who have hurt you deeply. Mischaracterizations are piled high on
misunderstandings, and the whole heap is sprinkled with just plain meanness.
What I've been working on is to keep those kinds of things from stopping up the line through which the pure sweet water of thanksgiving flows. We might be able to help each other. Right now I'm trying to apply the Apostle Paul's counsel to my relationships:
". . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Philippians 4:8
Lord, I know I can't just write people off because they have hurt me--that's hurtful in itself--but help me, Lord, to remember those who enrich my life with their generosity and kindness. As my thanksgiving flows, I pray that I'll find grace to give thanks for those who who have treated me in ways I'm not thankful for.
AMEN
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