Choosing Gratefulness

In many ways, I can say that I am profoundly grateful to God at this moment in time for allowing me to see the negative in my own perspective about my life, and giving me the opportunity to change it. 

Developing a heart of gratefulness and gratitude comes over time and a change in perspective.  Time provides us with the opportunity to be grateful consistently.  Forming the habit of being grateful is a learned behavior.  We teach kids, or at least we try to teach kids to be grateful for the many blessings they have in their own lives.  But, as adults where do we go wrong? 

The world can be a brutal beast if we let it.  Life’s ebbs and flows often through us off cue, without us expecting.  We then develop an exterior of hardness, coldness, and callousness, in order to protect ourselves from things that prey upon us. But, instead of it protecting us, it blinds us and prevents us from seeing God’s grace and the abundance of goodness available to us.

This takes a change in perspective. 

It’s not a one-time decision, made in the spur of the moment.  It takes persistence, and the skill of staying the course.  It's a patiently learned principle. 

For some this may be elementary.  For others, you may already practice this principle.  But, for me, I confess, it's easier said than done.  I have my days in which I am very unappreciative.  I confess this, I own this.  So, today I'm making the choice to be grateful.  

Being grateful lightens the load we carry from day to day.  Being grateful exposes the sinfulness of selfishness, greed, and want.  Being grateful helps us to see God. 

Gratefulness unlocks the doors that are right in front of us.  We see clearer the door of opportunity hid behind the sty of ungratefulness when we become grateful.  This is powerful!  If we want power let us choose to change our negative perspective to one filled with gratefulness. 

As I pilgrimage this day, I am grateful for the wonder of God, the provision of God, the love of God, the life that God has given me, and the opportunity God has provided me with to change my ungrateful perspective.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;

it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

Gen 4.6-7

Post Graduation Slump

I have been out of school for approximately four months.  It has been very difficult to say the least.  First, I expected that as soon as I graduated there would be a host of employment opportunities waiting for me.  Where I got this idea from, I don’t know.  I mean, I am employable, I have a Master’s of Divinity degree, and I have credible references, isn’t that enough? Even if the jobs are not in accordance with my studies, I thought that at least for the most part I could find something.  But, no one is calling me back.  The second reason it has been difficult for me is that with only one income (wife’s) there is not enough money to go around.  At times, it gets hard to manage.  I have been in school full time for the past three and a half years obtaining my degree, and for the most part we have been surviving on her one income along with student loans but now that I have graduated, we don’t get those anymore.  I guess you can say that in all of this my faith is being challenged.  Right now, I have many more questions than answers. 

Now, before I go any further, my traditional way of answering the various questions in my life has been to analyze my situation, the decisions that I have made, and the choices I chose, often times to the point of over analyzing just to make sense of it all.  I provided you with the surface reality of my circumstance, but please be aware that it goes much deeper.  So, since this is a blog, I want to do something different.  For the next several months, I am going to deliberately view and do things differently.  I guess you can say that I am going to begin the process of realigning my perspective and my spirituality.  Specifically, I want to tackle several different areas.  One, what am I supposed to learn or unlearn during this time?  Two, how can I see God at work during this season of my life?  Three, what do I have within my person or possession that I can tap into or create that will help provide dignity, and meaning to my life?  Four, from that thing on the inside of my person how can I use it to benefit others? 

In order for me to accomplish these goals, there are certain principles and practices that I must employ.  For starters, what habits do I need to change, and what must I do in order to form new ones?  What spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, nature walk, silence, journaling, etc.) can I employ that will help me become more sensitive toward seeing God at work in my life?  In what ways can I focus on what I have before me and what God has already given me, and then maximize it?  What can I create or do (books, art, poems, organization, program, etc.) that resonates with who I am and witnesses with and to the God who has created me?  This is enough for now.  While there are other things that I desire to do differently, and view differently, I will start here.  Stay tuned to my postings and be sure to follow as I chart my progress.    

Life should be a pilgrimage not a trip.