On Gratefulness

I have to admit there are times when I forget to be grateful for the blessed life I happen to have. This is especially true when good things keep coming into my life. I tend to get overwhelmed and preoccupied and eventually, feel a sense of guilt. Somehow, I feel that by forgetting to show gratitude, I am letting God down. For is it not from Him that everything I get to have in this life come from?

Gratitude
Image Source: http://www.littlemiracles.com.au/blog/speaking-life/the-importance-of-gratitude

Is it just me or does this happen to you as well? That’s why I thought of saying thanks first thing in the morning and before closing my eyes at night. Sometimes, I feel that it’s insincere, though. Or pilit lang. Recently, I’ve decided to say thank you to God whenever I feel like it and wherever I may be. Aside from the basics (e.g. life, family, marriage, job, food, shelter, clothing, etc.), it could be for a simple task I finished, a surprise I received (like this one time when I got a cute little ring from my brother similar to those class rings from joyjewelers.com), a small favor I got from someone, a big blessing that came my way, a kind comment from a blog reader, or just about anything that has made me happy. I like how it’s spontaneous and genuine. No pretensions, no exaggerations. No routines, no timing.

Gratitude should come from the heart. It should not be said out of obligation or guilt. It should be something that we really mean to say or show. It should be pure and natural and true. And it should be done by us, for our own good and as a way of feeding our soul. 🙂

May you choose happiness always,

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14 Replies to “On Gratefulness”

  1. Mine is the opposite. I tend to become ungrateful when bad things happen in my life. There were many times when I would pray and tell Him, “Nakakainis ka, nakalimutan mo na naman ako.” But then something trivial would happen, and then I would realize that the bad things just mean that He is preparing me for something better. 🙂 Now, I always start my nightly prayer with thanksgiving. Thank You po kasi hindi ako bad hair day ngayon. Thank You kasi hindi tumuloy ‘yung sipon ko. Thank You kasi bumaba ang gasolina. I guess I started to have that attitude because I have been to the lowest of all lows. I learned to find and appreciate God’s “hidden” blessings. Ikaw, Edel, you are a blessing to me! 🙂

    http://www.jerelltabenoja.com/

    1. Ako naman, ewan ko ba, laging guilty, feeling ko hindi naman ako deserving sa mga good things na dumarating sa buhay ko. May pagka emotera lang siguro talaga ako. Minsan, nahihiya ako kay God kasi feeling ko ang bad ko (usually in thoughts, not in actions!) tapos madalas nakakalimutan ko tapusin ang dasal ko sa gabi kasi nakakatulog ako, hahaha. God, sorry po talaga! 🙂

      Awwww, sis, re: me as blessing, I think the feeling is mutual. You inspire me in so many ways! Thank you! 🙂

  2. I feel the same way Edel, minsan I tend to forget then I focus on the bad things that’s going on in my life. Nakakapagod din ang stress kaya minsan hindi ko na lang pinapansin., I have realized now that it has been a long long time since the last time that I spoke to God about my worries. I am forgetting how to thank him for my everyday blessings. I guess I should stop for a moment and re-think.

  3. To stop for a moment and rethink…I think that’s a good move, Jen! Kailangan lang naman talaga lumapit tayo kay God, kahit pasaway tayo, He will surely welcome us with open arms pa rin. And about those worries, know that our God is bigger than all of them. 🙂

  4. Totoo at agree ako sa yo Edel. Sometimes kasi sa dami ng problema, busy life or sometimes sa sobrang happiness din nalilimutan natin maging thankful sa mga bagay-bagay. Sa panibagong araw na binibigay satin ng nasa Taas ay isang malaking bagay na dapat na natin ipagpasalamat sa kanya.

    I get emotional din kapag totoo sa puso mo yung pagpa pray, feeling connected to Him, and you can feel din na nakikinig sya sa sinasabi mo sa kanya. =)

  5. Tama ms. edel. We should really be grateful in everything 🙂
    Although sometimes nakakalimot talaga ako, especially kapag mya problema nandun na naka-focus ang utak ko.
    Kaya pag Sunday pag simba ako, dun ko lang naalalang magpasalamat ulit.

    1. Tama! Kaya pag-gising pa lang, dapat thankful na. Dati kasi madalas pagkagising ko ngingiti lang ako sa harap ng salamin tapos diretso na sa banyo. Hahaha. 🙂

  6. i always do that. I always say thank you tuwing magpe-pray. Tapos if I want something, i always say bahala ka na po. Ako naman i always believe that all my prayers would be answered. All problems would be solved. Sinabi ko yun sa friend ko dati, sabi nya napaka-feeling ko naman daw. Eh bakit ba? In my 30 yrs of existence, totoo sya! Pag may something, laging nasosolve. Parang magic. 🙂 pero tama ka. When you say thank you, mean it. Pwede mo din naman kasi i-question si god paminsan minsan. Pwede magtampo. Pero dapat yung faith andun padin. 🙂

    1. Grabe, you’re so optimistic pala! Pero sabi mo nga, proven naman. Ang galing! I agree, dapat andun palagi ang faith. 🙂

  7. Very timely for me. Mom was just diagnose with cancer last week. And I am still grateful for HIM sa lahat lahat. Hindi ko mabilang. Especially for making me so strong. Shocks naiiyak ako!

    nhengswonderland.blogspot.com

    1. Virtual hugs for you, sis! Sorry to hear that. Isa yan sa mga kinatatakutan kong mangyari, ang malamang maysakit ang kapamilya. But then, be strong. You need to be strong at this point. Wag ka na iyak, kapit lang kay God ha. 🙂

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