Always Thank God

 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Can we remember when was the last time we thanked God for everything in our life ? We always think that is easy to thank God during the good times. Most of us have given God quick thanks when something good happens in our life. But it is not so easy to thank God in the difficult times. During these times it is hard to be thankful. We may not even think we have anything to be thankful for.

We might face many difficulties, hardships, and disappointments in our lives. Things do not always go our way. If we listen to the discussions of others and review our own words and thoughts, we find that many of them are complaints about how life is treating us. There is a bitter feeling.

There is the wonderful story of a king Mahmud, who, one day while sitting with his most devoted servant, Ayaz, ventured to share a cucumber with him. Ayaz thanked him and happily ate the piece given to him by the king. When he had finished, the king then took a bite of his own half. “Yuk!” he cried, as he made a disgusted face, and spit out the cucumber. “This is so bitter! How could you have eaten your piece if it tasted like bitter poison?”Ayaz replied: “My dear king Mahmud, I have enjoyed so many favours and blessings from you all these years. Whatever you give me tastes sweet!”

A true lover of God lives in gratitude and so is able to consider the good, the sweet and the bitter as a gift from the Beloved. Ayaz had received so much from the king that he did not think it his place to complain if one of these gifts was bitter. He accepted all that the king gave him with love and gratitude.

Sant Rajender Sing says, if we could accept the cloudy days with the same gratitude as we do the sunny days, we would find our lives to be filled with more love, peace, and happiness. If we could appreciate the weeds as well as the roses, we would get enriched. Not only do we need to learn to be content, we need to expand our heart to embrace all Creation.

The practice of meditation enables us to cultivate the qualities of compassion and contentment. The bliss and happiness we experience in meditation stays with us even after we come out of meditation. It is a wellspring of love and peace that we can tap into, any time we wish. The experience is so powerful and fulfilling that it helps us to transcend the pains and sorrows of life. No matter what happens to us in life, we have a fountain of nectar within us from which we can drink at any time. This is the gift we can achieve through meditation, Says Sant Rajender Sing.

One cannot have the good without bad. There could not be light without darkness. God is in control of everything. We should thank Him when things go our way, and not question Him when things do not. Everything happens for a reason, although we may not understand why, or the reason may not be perfectly clear to us at the time, but God has a better plan for us. Let’s thank God in all the circumstances of life. A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.

O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness (William Shakespeare)

Please visit this page for more blogs.