The past few weeks I’ve gone through some rough/dark times with a physical aliment. My perspective focused on how things didn’t go my way and how others’ decisions impacted me.  My perspective of how wrong “they” did me consumed my thoughts, feelings and disposition. I had crying fits and angry outbursts in response to things not going my way. I simply couldn’t understand why God didn’t answer my prayers the way I thought He should. “I lost and “they” won,” is what I told myself as I sank into pity on my couch. 

With tears streaming down my face, overwhelmed with my situation, I heard God speak, “You’re so ungrateful.” Confused and dumbfounded, I cried harder – this time with repentance. God said, “You have a roof over your head, clothes, electricity and the support of family and friends.”  In that moment, God crushed what I thought was a mountain into a molehill, with a simple change of perspective: Gratitude.

When we go through rough/dark times, it is so easy to focus on the negative instead of the positive. Yes, “their” decisions limited me in ONE capacity AND it also provided opportunities.  Opportunities I mostly likely wouldn’t have taken without “their” decisions. I couldn’t see the opportunities from a defeated disposition though. Instead of trusting in Christ, I allowed discouragement to have free range. I’m not saying we can’t have our moments of feeling overwhelmed, however we must change our perspective into gratitude. When we praise God with gratitude, then we can clearly see how He will crush the mountains of life to a molehill that we can conquer.  

Today, I’m still dealing with the temporary physical aliment and “their” decisions still remain enforced, BUT I’m blessed. Blessed to have family and friends to call to encourage and speak hard truths to me. I know life can be inundated with conundrums, nevertheless we all have things to be grateful for. Don’t allow the mountains to block your Gratitude Perspective. Our God is able!