Why Do We Fail at Being Thankful to God?

While fretting over my ailment, I logged in to check my Facebook account. Alas! I was taken aback by what I saw. A friend had just posted: Please pray for a 10-month-old baby who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He will get his first dose of chemotherapy today.

I could hardly believe what I was reading. With the blink of an eye, I forgot my fluctuating body temperature and back cramps.

How blessed are some people whose lives have no fears or dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams?”

Bram Stroker

My illness appeared to be nothing in comparison to what the baby was going through. It was a moment of realisation; how often do we thank Allah for what He has given us?

Being Thankful to Allah

Take a moment and reflect on the way we thank Him in return for everything He has bestowed upon us. I look at myself, and all I see is a never-ending list of complaints.

I often fight with my husband for not coming home on time and for not spending time with me. When I re-assess my words, I find each statement loaded with ‘nots’ and ‘don’ts’.

In the midst of personal satisfaction, we often fail to look at the other side of the coin. If my man is not with me, he is certainly busy earning for the family.

Shouldn’t I rephrase my daily statements to ‘dear, it is okay! You must be tired from working the whole day. Thank you for doing so much for us’.

Well, you are probably reading this article at the other end of the screen. With a packet of chips in your hand lying on a cosy couch, imagine that your laptop screen gives you so much strain that it causes you severe eye pain. You will certainly blame God for giving you an illness at the wrong time of the year because you had several plans to achieve.

Did you previously thank God for the perfect eyesight you possess? Certainly No. This is true for each one of us because we are always ready to blame when we lose things, and we never appreciate and acknowledge what we already have!

A Page from the Past

During my counselling course at the university, we were often taught to tell patients to count their blessings when they felt low.

Even today, whenever I am depressed, my friend asks me to make a list of the things I am thankful for and instructs me to add to the list with every passing day. Trust me, it is a good exercise, but do we understand the meaning attached to it?

I always start on a fresh page. I have a caring mother, I have the best dresses to wear, I have all the luxuries in life, and so on.

Two days later, things become normal, and the diary is back in the drawer. God certainly does not give us a difficult phase so that we remember Him for few hours and then get back to the routine.

This reminds me of an acquaintance who once told me that he did not pray when he was in trouble. Instead, he used to pray when he was happy.

I now understand what he actually meant. Life is too short life and we often keep away from a serene life by focusing on the things we don’t have.

What if you cannot buy that expensive diamond earring for yourself? At least you have perfect hearing, which many are void of.

These are little things that we often fail to accept. Even if we do, it is on rare occasions. So what must we do?

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