Our blessings and misfortunes

WE should have the proper attitude towards our blessings

and misfortunes. Given our condition, these are unavoidable items in

our life and we just need to know how to handle them, so we can take

advantage of them rather than get spoiled by them.

            The basic attitude to have is, of course, to count our

blessings always, rather than brood over our misfortunes. Our

blessings are obvious and countless, and we need to take account of

them especially as we go through the usual challenges, trials and

difficulties in our life. We tend to take them for granted. To be

sure, God is always there for us. He will never fail us. It’s rather

us who can fail him and ourselves.

            Let’s never forget that we are creatures of God, and in

fact, the masterpiece of his creation. He has endowed us with

intelligence and will and showered us with his grace such that we

truly become his image and likeness, and adopted children of his

through Christ in the Holy Spirit.

            This basic truth about ourselves should infuse us with a

deep sense of joy and confidence, in spite of whatever problem,

difficulty, mistake and sin we can commit. Let’s always remember the

parable of the prodigal son. No matter how much we abuse God’s

goodness, God will always welcome us back if we decide to go back to

him.

            Besides, it would be good if we are constantly aware of

the many good things that we enjoy in life and that we tend to take

for granted. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the family we have,

etc.,--these things should lead us to be most thankful to God and to

keep being close to him, always doing his will, because away from him,

we can only have problems.

            Even our misfortunes can be a source of blessing as long

as we go through them with God. Everything will always work out for

the good, St. Paul reassured us. (cfr Rom 8,28)

            We have to be wary of a strong current trend in the world

today where people tend to depend simply only on their own resources

instead of going to God. Such attitude, no matter how brilliant,

talented and gifted a person is, cannot cope with all the challenges

in life. Sooner or later, he will be overcome by life’s problems and

troubles.

            When we count our blessings, we unavoidably are led to God

who is the source of all good things. In this, St. James in his letter

told us very clearly. “Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (1,17)

            Nowadays, I see many people, even many young ones, already

looking sad and depressed because they are more aware of their

problems and difficulties rather than the many blessings they have.

Some have even gone to the extent of knowing only the bad things in

life, and nothing of the good things.

            I guess such phenomenon is due in large part to the trend

of ignoring God in their lives, or just taking him for granted. There

is so much secularism around, so much paganism, where the basic

equality of men where everyone loves one another is forgotten and is

replaced by the law of the jungle where the strong and fortunate can

easily take advantage of the weak and the unlucky.

            It would be good if from time to time we pause and take

account of the many good things God has given us. It would lead us to

realize what is really important in life, and to avoid getting

entangled and lost in the drama of life.

            Remember that we are meant to be always happy and calm

even in the midst of our misfortunes.