BEING GRATEFULL THROUGH HARD TIMES - By Emmanuel Mukula (Todays New Vision Newspaper). I know everyone will agree with me that, it’s easy to feel grateful when life is good .But when disaster strikes; gratitude requires serious effort and I must say that it is not easy. Gratitude has shown me that when life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify the goodness. But what about when things get rough for us? In the midst of the economic maelstrom in our country, you lose your job, a loved one or business just fails to do well, it is surely not easy to show gratitude. I have often been asked if people can or even should feel grateful under such difficult circumstances. In fact, it is precisely under crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life than just being negative. In the face of demoralization,gratitude has the power to energize to get up and try again. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times and get back on our feet easier than when we refuse to be grateful. I am not suggesting that gratitude will come easily or naturally in a crisis. It’s easy to feel grateful for the good things. No one “feels” grateful that he or she has lost a job or a home or good health or has taken a devastating hit on his life but, we have got to keep it in the right perspective. We don’t have total control over our emotions and we cannot easily will ourselves to feel grateful, less depressed, or happy. Feelings follow from the way we look at things, thoughts we have about the way things are, the way things should be, and the distance between these two points. But being grateful is a choice, a prevailing attitude that endures and is relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances. Yes, this perspective is hard to achieve but, worth the effort. Accept it or not but, trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted. Why? Well, when times are good, people take prosperity for granted and begin to believe that they are invulnerable. In times of uncertainty, though, people realize how powerless they are to control their own destiny. If you begin to see that everything you have, everything you have counted on, may be taken away, it becomes much harder to take it for granted. So a crisis can make us more grateful and gratitude also helps us cope with crisis. Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we are down. Most men I counsel are ones with no jobs, just lost a partner and I tell them the same thing. I ask them to think of the worst times in their lives, their sorrows, their losses, their sadness and then remember that here they are. They are able to remember them that they made it through the worst times of their lives, they got through the trauma, they got through the trial, they endured the temptation, and they survived the bad relationship and make them understand that even now, they’re making their way out of the dark with some gratitude. I will tell you the same thing that if you are going through a hard time, remember the bad things, then look to see where you are now. To say that gratitude is a helpful strategy to handle hurt feelings does not mean that we should try to ignore or deny suffering and pain. The field of positive psychology has at times been criticized for failing to acknowledge the value of negative emotions. To deny that life has its share of disappointments, frustrations, losses, hurts, setbacks, and sadness would be unrealistic and untenable. Life has times when suffering hits us and no amount of positive thinking exercises will change this truth. As you go through all this, know that your Character should always be stronger than your Circumstances .We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can always control how we choose to respond. In those moments when I choose to stop complaining and instead give thanks to God for the good in my life, the parts that seem bad start to seem much less significant. Choose to keep a positive attitude and thankful heart regardless of what you’re going through. Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Rememberthat your Struggles always lead to Strength. Every difficulty in your life, whether big or small, is something God will use to produce more strength, faith and perseverance in you if you let Him! All your pain has a purpose Lastly, allow me to share a peace of the bible I find so encouraging .In Job 14:1, the word of God stated, that a man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. When difficult times come, some people are a little reluctant as to whether they can stand under such pressure and burdens of life. They began instead to feel a lack of confidence in themselves and in God’s word during these troubled times. Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth, in (II Cor. 4: 8-9), said that we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are ed by not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. In other words, Paul felt confident that no matter what he went through, victory was imminent. perplexed but not in despair; persecuted by not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. In other words, Paul felt confident that no matter what he went through, victory was imminent. May you draw and find strength in what I have written even as you go past that hard time. Always remember that, no matter how dark it gets, dawn always comes. I know it may be a little hard for you but, always keep it in the right perspective and see yourself grow into what God himself wants you to be. I Wish well and know it will be all over soon. I invite men and ladies that are single. In relationships but, not married to get in touch and secure a place at ‘Relationship talk ‘that I shall have on Saturday 31st January 7, 2015 that will be aimed helping people in relationships build stronger and fruitful relationships. Be a part of this and you’ll never be the same again. Emmanuel Mukula is a life coach and relationship consultant and a facilitator at company workshops. He is also master of ceremonies for both corporate functions and weddings. For his services call 0978980332 or email him on emmymukula@gmai l or follow him on Facebook ‘Emmanuel Mukula – Life Coach’.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 15:55:25 +0000
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