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Appreciating God's Blessings
by Alan Smith
Two old friends bumped into
one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the
verge of tears. His friend asked, "What has the world done to you, my old
friend?"
The sad fellow said, "Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and
left me forty thousand dollars."
"That's a lot of money."
"But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me
eighty-five thousand, free and clear."
"Sounds like you've been blessed."
"You don't understand!" he interrupted. "Last week my great-aunt passed
away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million."
Now he was really confused. "Then, why do you look so glum?"
"This week.. nothing!"
That's the trouble with receiving something on a regular basis. Even if it
is a gift, we eventually come to expect it. Someone once suggested to me a
way to test someone's character. Give him or her $5 a day for a month. Then
stop and see what that person's reaction is. The natural tendency is that if
we receive a gift long enough, we come to view it as an entitlement. We feel
hurt, even angry, if we don't receive it any longer.
It's the same way with the blessings God gives us every day. I don't deserve
the comfortable home I live in, the beautiful scenery around me, the clean
water that I drink. But after receiving these gifts and a multitude of
others for years, I sometimes fail to be grateful. I've come to expect these
good things. And when one of them is removed for a short while -- like the
water being cut off -- I get upset.
Make an effort today to recognize the blessings you've come to take for
granted. Focus on what you have rather than on what you don't have, and see
if it doesn't improve your attitude.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His
wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8)
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