Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. That is why I have instructed you to give thanks for everything. There is an element of mystery in this transaction: You give Me thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you Joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience—at times, blind obedience. To people who don’t know Me intimately, it can seem irrational and even impossible to thank Me for heartrending hardships. Nonetheless, those who obey Me in this way are invariably blessed, even though difficulties may remain.
Thankfulness opens your heart to My Presence and your mind to My thoughts. You may still be in the same place, with the same set of circumstances, but it is as if a light has been switched on, enabling you to see from My perspective. It is this Light of My Presence that removes the sting from adversity.
-Jesus Calling
I have a certain child who is simply ungrateful for nearly everything.
He’s quick to be critical, and complain about what he doesn’t get.
If I give him one, he wants two.
If I let him play on the iPad, he’d rather play Xbox.
No matter what I do, it’s never enough.
It’s infuriating!
Truly.
It drives me completely crazy.
He’s rarely happy … or content.
The worst part for me is that no matter how much I try to speak to his heart,
no matter how much I challenge him, or correct him …
no matter how much I instruct him in Biblical truth …
none of it seems to make any difference.
It breaks my heart.
I feel so helpless to help him, to guide him, to instruct him.
I simply don’t know what to do.