We pray to God for things we want but how many of us take the time to thank himIJ The post office receives many letters from children addressed to Santa Claus before Christmas. Yet, after Christmas, children do not typically send a letter to Santa thanking him for what they received. let us recount the many things for which we owe our gratitude to God, the giver.
First, we are extremely fortunate that our soul was born in a human body. If we look around at various species of life, we see what a difficult existence they have. They have a life in which they have to find shelter from the elements and live in fear of predators. While many people treat their pets as well as their own family members, pets are still enslaved. Even though there are now pet beauty salons, pet therapists, and pet yoga classes, animals lack the faculty that we have in which we can be conscious of who we are. Their lives are restricted to feelings and survival instincts. They cannot contemplate who they are, why they are here, and where they are going. We are fortunate that we have been born into the only species that can know themselves and know God. For this, we should thank God.
How many thank God for our healthIJ When we are in the throes of a serious illness or have an accident and are in pain, we send loud prayers to God to help us, to take away our pain and heal us. Yet, how many of us send prayers to God in gratitude for our healthIJ We may utter a “thank God” when our illness or pain ends, but then we often do not thank God for each day thereafter that we are healthy.
A friend of one of the great woman saints, Rabia Basri, came to her with his head bandaged. When he moaned to God in pain, she asked him what was wrong. He said he had a severe headache.
She asked, “How long have you had the headacheIJ” He said he had it for a day. She asked him, “For how many days in your life have you gone without a headacheIJ” He said he had not had a headache for most of his life.
She replied wisely, “For one day that you have a headache, you complain to God, yet for the thousands of days in your life that you have not had a headache, have you ever thanked GodIJ”
We may feel that God only exists when everything goes our way. We ignore the good things, such as our physical gifts, intellectual gifts, and emotional gifts from God. We forget that everything we receive comes from God. Instead, we set a condition that we only believe there is God if we get what we want. We take for granted what God has given to us and focus on what God has not given to us.
We may have had a job for 25 years, but the one time we are laid off due to a company downsizing, we say there is no God. We may have had a loving family relationship for 50 years, but when one member passes away, we forget how long we enjoyed his or her company and instead blame God or say there is no good in our life. We may have been healthy for 40 years, but with one major illness, we say, “Why is this happening to meIJ There must not be any God.”
We may win all our games, but the one loss causes us to say, “God doesn’t care about me.” Think about the plight of God. With all that has been given to us, we blame God when one thing goes wrong. How would we think God feels when that happensIJ
Few are grateful to God for the good they receive, so that when something goes wrong, they tell God, “It’s okay, God. I still love you; I am grateful to you, and I know you are there. What happened must have been something that was best for me, or was due to my karma that I created, or is a part of nature and life and is okay, under your will.” How many people take such a grateful attitude to GodIJ
There are people who undergo a tremendous amount of pain, yet remain grateful and thank God on days they are pain-free. Most take good health for granted. Even if we have some physical problems or some pain we have to live with, we should thank God for what we can still do: Whether it is waking up in the morning, or going to work, or finding some moments of enjoyment in our lives.
If we spend time complaining to God about our physical condition, even though we can still function, we should look at those who have serious handicaps that make them dependent on others, and then re-evaluate our own situation. Some people have handicaps, yet are so grateful that they are alive or that their suffering is not worse. They are grateful to God for whatever blessings they have. let us thank God for our health and be grateful that our ailments are not worse. For each day that we are able to do our work, enjoy our family and friends, and meditate, thank God.
We should be grateful to God for our education. Education helps us have options in our life and career. We have choices on what subjects we want to learn and in which fields we wish to specialise. There are many who do not have choices and must take any work they find. Thank God daily for our education and how it helps us.
Have we ever thanked God for our spouse, our parents, or our childrenIJ We often find reasons to complain about those in our family, but we seldom realise how helpful it is to have a family. Some may be living alone now, but when they were growing up, they lived with family. Think about how difficult life would be without parents, a caretaker, siblings, a spouse, children, or relatives. Friends can help us only so far, but family members are committed to being there for us through thick and thin. When we are sick, they help us. When we have no money, they are there. They are there to listen to our problems and to help us.
We often find reasons to complain to God about our family members, but how many thank God that we have themIJ Often, we only appreciate them when we lose them through death or separation. let us take time to thank God for them and also show them how much we appreciate them.
When was the last time we told our close ones that we love and appreciate themIJ let us add our thanks for our relationships to the basket of the angel collecting prayers of gratitude. let us thank God for everything we have in our lives today.
The writer is a spiritual leader
