Attitude of gratitude

Personal Photo: This is the Banyan tree in Lahaina, Maui. This is the oldest and largest Banyan tree in the world. All of this is one tree, growing from one large trunk and creating a canopy of life. And it burned in the fire. Just yesterday my mom told me that experts say the tree will live. It survived the harshest of temperatures, the most extreme conditions. But it lives. There is hope when it seems lost. God bless you all my friends, today and always!

Today is my birthday! I have always loved birthdays, mainly for the reason that it is the one day out of the whole year that is yours. It was the day that the world changed because you entered it. It was the moment in history that will forever be your birthday. And I think that is pretty special. Throughout the years I find that people lose their zest for birthdays; they don't like thinking about how many they have had, or they don't like the attention, or they just never have fun going through birthday celebrations. I hope I never fizzle out on birthday excitement; yes another year older, but that also means that we can reflect on what we have done, how much further we have come, how this next year could be the best one yet, or a year that we can get better.

I have been wanting to do an article on gratitude for awhile now, but this week feels like the perfect time. This week alone has brought with it the need for perspective on life. I say this not only because of the incredible blessing of being able to celebrate another trip around the sun with the people I love so very much, but also because of the absolutely heartbreaking news coverage of the fires in Maui, Hawaii. Even though the two differ extremely, I am amazed that in both scenarios I am brought back to gratitude. My family and I have been to this island almost a dozen times throughout my life, and we have spent so much time in the Historic Lahaina District, that within a matter of three days, has been completely destroyed. For so many of us, this place is so far away, it is hard to put ourselves in the shoes of the islanders. The truth is that I did not want to really consider how the experience must have been, one so desperate that the ocean was the only chance for survival. Regardless, I find it important to do so. I considered the pieces of history that I have physically touched, the spaces that I was surrounded by, and the ways in which gratitude can play a role for each of us when we experience heartaches and tragedies.

The ways in which the people of Maui are forced to rebuild on the ashes of their daily lives is painful, and something I could never pretend to understand. However, I feel as though we all should try to empathize with those who are going through challenging times, and make a valid effort to recognize how trying it is when something like this happens. The ironic part about that last sentence is that more and more we are living in a world where things are starting to happen that have never happened before. I consider the pandemic, the Canadian wildfires, the burning of Maui. How we can prepare for something that has never happened before? How can we learn from what happened and move on? I do not have the answers to these questions, nor to the questions of so many that are hurting around the world for various reasons. However, as we begin to find ourselves lost for answers, confused in our own surroundings, and living in spaces that are changing rapidly, I find there is an enormous chance for gratitude.

Moments like these do not always feel like times when we can express gratitude, but the only peace I can find during these times is that we have already won over the evil one, and over any tragedy that might befall us. Jesus has already saved us, so what happens to us here on earth is just for a brief moment in the grand scheme of things. It was explained to me like a book; as believers in Christ, we already know the ending of the story, we already know that we get to spend forever with our Lord and Savior, with no pain, hurt, shame, guilt, anger, or anything other than joy and peace. Knowing the end of the story gives us a perspective when we are challenged here on earth. We might not know the contents of every single page between here and the end of the book, but we know how the book ends. In this way, we can see how the weight of heartache still contains a seed of hope, the burden of pain always has a chance to heal, and the journey to the end of the book is not something to fear, but something to embrace. Joshua 1:9 reminds us "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Even in the lowest of times, God is with us, and He is our hope, He is our refuge. By remembering this, we have the unique chance to not let our circumstances define us, because we are never hopeless and never alone.

When I let my mind wander about how it could have been me, or my loved ones in Lahaina that day, or how these people are no different than the people I see, interact with, care about, and so on, it got my wheels turning about how it would have felt to be struck by the utter panic. Furthermore, about how to accept the horrific scenes that are still yet to come. The truth is that regardless of what happens to me, I know that I am saved, and that I have a Miracle Worker as my Lord and Savior. It made me feel a little better. As we sit here in Ohio, so far away from these hurting people, it can feel hopeless. But when I trust that no fire can burn down my faith, no disaster can steal the love of God from me, and no pain can overcome the hope of the Lord, I find that not all is lost. I pray that the people of Maui had the same refuge. Psalm 91:1-2 states "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Everyone can find peace with Him. I love this Psalm verse when considering how we can cling to God in times of need. This verse is a promise. It tells us that we are not only accompanied in this world, but that He is going to give us rest, He will protect us, and He will look after us, even in the most challenging of times.

I started this article out by telling you all it was my birthday, and I did so because both challenging times and exciting times are chances for us to be grateful. This week demonstrated some very different emotions and in each case, I found a reason to be grateful for our Heavenly Father. Many people only seem to come to the Lord when they are trying to rebuild, or need some sort of help, which is why juxtaposing the tragic with the joyful can help express why expressing gratitude is important all of the time, not just when we find ourselves in need of some help. My birthday is in my favorite season of the year, and it is a chance to remember the moment when God said that the world needed someone like me in it. It is my chance to serve God, my chance to bring souls to His glory, and it inspires me to know that God chose me to be a warrior for Him. And while my birthday always feels like a time when I am most filled up with gratitude, it is something that we can express every day of the year. Thessalonians 5:13 commands us to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Simple, but to the point, this verse includes the words always, continually, and in all circumstances. We can see here how giving thanks to God is meant to be woven into the very fabric of our lives, allowing us to see beauty in the smallest of moments, hope in the darkest of times, and to serve as a light in this world for others to see Christ through.

Whether we find ourselves on the top of a mountain, or in a valley of life, we can find God in our hearts. We know the end of the book, we know we have victory over everything in this world because of Christ, and we can therefore live our lives claiming that victory and not living in fear. In all situations, in every situation, we can seek the hope of God for us, and can rest in peace knowing that He will never abandon us. Being grateful has very little to do with the direct situation we are in, but rather focusing on things outside of this world, such as our faith, God's love for us, and the reward waiting for us in Heaven. Nothing and no one can ever take these things from us. When we live this way, when we are grateful to be loved by the Almighty One, we can have different perspective on life, we can find our strength to endure here on earth growing more powerful, and we can always find a chance to give thanks to God. 1 Corinthians 15:57 reads "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." This verse applies no matter how desperate our situation becomes, no matter how unstoppable we may feel in a time of accomplishment. We are victorious through Jesus, and nothing can ever change that!