In honor of Thanksgiving, I have been deeply pondering Thessalonians 5:18 where it says to “Give thanks in all circumstances”. I actually had a terrible day on Monday. It felt like everything that could go wrong, went wrong. All day, I was in a bad mood and full of anxiety. What’s funny is that I just kept thinking that I should be giving thanks and I found myself failing miserably.

Why is it so easy to be thankful when everything is going right but so hard to be thankful when everything is going wrong?

It is all about perspective.

When I think “Why is this happening to me?” It makes me feel powerless and I struggle against reality. On Monday, this thought was playing in a loop in my brain and was making me miserable.

Instead, I could have been thinking “How is this happening for me?” This thought helps me to remember that whatever is going on in my life is part of God’s plan for me and I need to be grateful for each and every thing that comes into my life because I trust Him.

It is not easy to think this way and it takes practice, daily and sometimes, moment by moment, practice. My first instinct is always to worry or complain but I have to override that instinct and give thanks to the Lord instead. When I do that, my heart and my mind shift gears and I feel better almost immediately.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,

Angela