p. 15 | A Thankful Spirit

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 12, 1882

A Thankful Spirit.

Is THERE a Christian life so utterly destitute of anything, as to have nothing for which to be thankful? Are there not in every life, and in every lot even to the humblest and hardest, many daily blessings, many exemptions from evil, and many interpositions of good, which we ought to recognize as coming from God, and which we ought to receive and acknowledge with a thankful spirit?

There may be an innumerable train of mercies along our pathway, but, if there happen to be one discomfort among them, all the mercies, and all the comforts are apt to be forgotten by the remembrance of the most trivial inconvenience.

Outward circumstances of disquiet, and the many little annoyances which we have to encounter through life, unquestionably have a tendency to mar our happiness, but one secret of a happy life is always looking on the bright side.

Are not our lives absolutely filled with blessings multiplied from hour to hour, and repeated from day to day, if we had but eyes to see them and hearts to be grateful for them? If we do not see them, and feel them, the fault certainly lies in us; we do not consider the source from whence they come.

It is our duty and privilege to think, and plan, and labor, to do the best thing, and accomplish the most good; but we too often trust our own wisdom; and fail to seek him who has promised to give to all who ask, and thereby fail to accomplish what we most desire.

If we accustom ourselves to see God's hand in every event of life—to live in daily acknowledgment of blessings received, we will find many obstacles removed which stand in our way of happiness; and the many little annoyances of our daily life will be smoothed away, and bright beams of sunshine will illuminate our pathway, and joy and gladness will reign in our heart.

We are too prone to borrow from the future, neglecting to-day. The sweet warblers of the forest will sing a song of praise even when the sky is black with the coming tempest; may we not learn a lesson from these?

Why should we vex, and worry ourselves with care—why fill our nights with weariness and our days with toil, when it only impairs our capability of distinguishing things that are excellent?

Gloom, fault finding, ungenerous criticism, these dismal weapons of despair, should find no abiding home in our hearts. There is no disposition of mind so unfriendly to comfort and usefulness. They but tend to hush the sweet music of nature and darken the brightest skies; destroy peace where peace should reign paramount. Then let us banish from our thought all words of complaining and despondency, and receive the sweet things of life, with a cheerful, happy, thankful spirit.— Arkansas Beacon.