Things I Have Learned: Gratitude

II Corinthians 12:7-10

As I entered the hospital, God impressed upon me that I needed to be thankful no matter what I faced. I remembered one of the messages on our sign at school. The sign said something to the effect of, "You cannot be thankful and depressed at the same time". I remembered that sign numerous times throughout my hospital stay and obviously have continued to remember it since I am mentioning it now. I made it a point to tell my nurses, doctors, therapists, and all the staff "thank you". Do you know how difficult it can be to tell a phlebotomist thank you when they are drawing blood for the umpteenth time?

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And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

II Corinthians 12:7–10

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Paul was suffering from some kind of infirmity. Obviously God did not want us to know the specifics or He would have told us. That being said, it was enough that Paul prayed to God for healing. God's answer was no. Paul prayed two more times and the answer did not change. However, God told Paul that He would give Paul the grace he needed to endure.

We all want those miraculous healings but sometimes that is not God's plan. Rather than feel His presence with us for a single moment, He chooses rather to be an enduring presence in our suffering. As we continue to cry out to Him, He continues to give us the strength we need to persevere. As we persevere, we are continuously aware of His presence and faithfulness.

Paul said that God's grace allowed him to do more than he was capable of doing. This could have been more than he felt (emotionally and physically) like doing or it could have been more than he was actually capable of doing due to his infirmity. Regardless, he was very aware of the grace of God empowering him to do the work he was called to do. He proclaimed God's word, not in his own strength, but in the strength God gave him.

It is so easy for us to become self-reliant and to forget that we need God even in our good times. When something knocks us down, we are tempted to feel rejected and abandoned by God. This can lead to depression. If we will cultivate an attitude of thankfulness, it will help to ward off that intense depression. This isn't a cure-all, but it certainly helps. While we are thanking others for their kindness, we will become increasingly grateful to God for his provision of grace and mercy in our lives. This will lead to worship and an increased realization of our dependence on God.

Father, I understand better what Paul was saying in these verses. Thank You for helping me to learn these lessons. I thank You for putting so many people in my life that have helped me during this difficult time. I also thank You for those who will continue to help me as I continue this journey. Your grace is truly sufficient!