The first thing I do every morning when I wake up is utter the words "thank you, God."
I speak these words even if I am sick, sore, in pain, unhappy, or feeling like general crap, which happens to all of us at times.
Gratitude is one of the most positive and affirmative experiences a person can enjoy.
Pure gratitude will make you invincible from the fear of all things, even death.
When you live with abundant gratitude for all that has passed and all you have experienced, nothing can harm you.
Even the stoics and great philosophers of antiquity understood that gratitude was a powerful thing, even if they did not recognize a divine creator.
When you're in a state of perpetual gratitude, the pain and suffering that you will experience in life doesn't feel as agonizing.
Before I became a Christian and gave my life to Christ, I was seldom in a state of gratitude, which often led to the misery and suffering I experienced at times being intense and often unbearable.
However, while gratitude alleviates the intensity of suffering, it is not why I practice it.
The alleviation of suffering can only be achieved when true gratitude has been established.
Peace is the byproduct of gratitude.
I practice gratitude even without the benefit of diluted suffering.
At times, when in a state of intense spiritual gratitude, like when I am fasting, I often ask God not to alleviate my physical or mental suffering.
At times, I welcome divine suffering.
I prayed the other day when I was 48 hours into a fast, "God, I invite you to walk with me as I venture further into this suffering. I ask, however, that you do not remove the wretched, burning pain from my stomach. I ask that you do not steady my shaking hands or remove the dizziness that surrounds me. Let me suffer a while. I ask only for your presence; to hear your voice in the midst of this suffering."
Why would someone ask God to let them suffer?
Pain and suffering are terrible when you're constantly feeling it. You should pray for God to take your suffering away at times, as we all do.
At times, I ask God to take away my suffering.
Other times, I want to embrace it.
Pain and suffering have a unique way of dissolving spiritual barriers and allowing closer communication with God.
You will feel the presence of God when you invite divine suffering.
If you're not a believer, you can still practice the stoic art of appreciating pain and suffering to develop gratitude.
If you duct taped your eyes closed for 5 months and then finally removed it, how much would appreciate the sight of your family, the colors in a painting or the blue sky shining down its glorious rays of light?
Or fast for a few days, then behold the awesome flavor of food.
If you want to cultivate your gratitude, strip away that which makes you feel happy or blessed.
Moreover, you can beckon to God and ask Him to fill your heart with gratitude and the Holy Spirit.
Be mindful, however, that when you ask for your heart to be filled with gratitude, that God may allow a season of struggle and suffering in your life, to allow you to genuinely experience the powerful nature of gratitude.
I thank God every day because I mean it.
I am genuinely thankful.
I look back on my 41 years and, even though it was not perfect (and pretty miserable at times, to be honest), I am utterly grateful that I was invited into this world to experience life.
Thank you, God. Thank you.
You should thank God every day too.
Even if you're angry, sad, depressed, or experiencing misery (believe me, I've been there), you should thank God every day.
Practice this every day: before you look at your phone, go to the bathroom, or start planning your day in your head, thank God.
Say it out loud. "Thank you, God."
When you practice this daily, you will experience life in the way that it was intended to be experienced; as a gift.
It's a gift.
Life is a gift.
Only too late do most of us realize it.
And now, I leave you with this passage from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians.
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thank you, God.
