Today, Too, I Am Thankful

One morning, I was supposed to meet with the other student members to pray together and start the day. But while eating breakfast, I spilled soup on my clothes, and it took me a while to clean it off. I started to feel rushed, and when I tried to put on some lotion, I kept dropping the bottle. Picking it up and cleaning up each time delayed me even more. By the time I was finally ready and checked the clock, I was already very late.

The moment I stepped outside, I started running. But I got caught at a red light at the crosswalk and ended up arriving later than we had agreed. Maybe it was because I had started the day in such a bad mood, but I felt down all day. In my rush to leave the house, I had forgotten the paper I needed for a school assessment, and I even got into an argument with a friend. When I got home after school, I broke down in tears.

The next day was the Sabbath. As I was listening to the sermon, I heard these verses:

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

The truth was, I had not been thankful in all circumstances. There were so many things to be grateful for: waking up each morning, starting the day in prayer with my brothers and sisters, enjoying a delicious lunch at school, and even sitting in a cool classroom on a hot day. Yet I had taken all the good things for granted while letting the bad things seem bigger than they really were and spoil my entire day.

I want to make it a habit to always be grateful rather than complain or grumble. If I can learn to see everything with grateful eyes and a grateful heart, perhaps I will no longer let unpleasant things control my emotions. And if I give more thanks to God each day, my everyday life will become happier too.