Thriving Is A Choice
For me, thriving is acknowledging your blessings and being a blessing to others.
By acknowledging your blessings, you have the opportunity to choose to be grateful for those blessings. Without humble gratitude for our blessings, we tend to make who we are and what we have all about us. At this point, we are unable to consider others.
Some things distract or destroy our ability to thrive and thus relegate us to a life of plain and miserable survival. These are choices we make ourselves, not choices made for us. We often give our power of choice away to others or our circumstances. Troubles always come, but it is our choice if we choose to become bitter or better.
There are times when stress, people, or circumstances seem to hit every nerve we have. We're short-tempered. Then, there is road rage or impatience, say in the checkout line at the grocery store, people not moving fast enough, and too much to do, too little time. When we reach the last nerve, we start snapping at those around us. We say things we often regret to those we love and often to those we don't know.
I had some kids over the other day, and they were doing great, but then they just started picking and getting crabby; It was time for what I call "give me five": five things you're grateful for having. They could rattle these first five off in Nanoseconds: air, family (one-by-one), so I said I needed another "five" that took a few long seconds and another list of generic items. But, when we were at the third set, we finally got serious about what they were grateful for. It took time to really consider. Finally, we made it to the 20th item, "I'm grateful for," and they were laughing. Their attitude had changed entirely.
Most likely, you're thinking: "I don't have time when my last nerve has been hit, to start thinking about things for which I'm grateful." However, I have found that once you're in the habit, it just comes naturally.
Try it. Right now. Write out 5 or 10 items you can be grateful for; a "preparatory list."
Sometimes we need to take a timeout, even just for a few minutes. Take a deep breath and say, "What am I grateful for?" Even if you mention only a few things, there is value and benefit to stopping and intentionally choosing your responses to people and circumstances, thereby regaining your power of choice. When we're grateful, it changes our mindset and our entire outlook on life.
We hear people often complain about their job, other people at work, people in our neighborhood, school, people that are different than us, and some that are just not nice people to be around. However, when you have been intentional about who you are and grateful for what HE has done, you have the freedom to choose your actions and responses to everyone with whom you interact.
For Jesus' followers, God calls us to a different standard in our life. Loving those who are easy to love: everyone does that, but those who are not so easy to love? That is the love He wants us to show. We were unlovely before He loved us. He laid down His life for us. Often in life, we may be the unlovely person that others don't want to be around. Having an attitude of gratitude can and often does change us.
When we choose our mindset to gratitude, we change how we view our circumstances and ourselves. In choosing a grateful perspective, we put ourselves in a position to be a blessing. It's getting outside ourselves and, apart from the "it's all about me" syndrome, when we begin to thrive. Life at that point becomes rich, textured, and fulfilling. Our joy, satisfaction, and ability to thrive no longer depend on circumstances or people we interact with but on our identity in Christ.
The apostle Paul says it this way in Philippians:
“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length, you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.”
Sometimes, people need to have someone sound a fog horn to say, "Keep going; you can do it; God created you with all you need to be and all you can dream of being."
I have found that at that point, God steps in and gives me all I need to go on, succeed, get up, give out, and love more. For me, I have the freedom to choose to look up and become better, stronger, or freer, or choose to be like a ship wallowing in stormy seas, constantly striving and focused on the storm.
Are you that voice?
There is more to life than striving; there is more to life than just surviving. I am all about living a life that thrives. That is a choice, not a right, not a given, but a choice.
We all have the Freedom to Choose!
Today will you embrace your freedom to choose to thrive?