Gratitude As A Lifestyle Series

### Introduction

Video Ill.: Thanksgiving Every Day — Freebridge Media

Transcript: Today we are thankful. We give thanks to God for His love, His mercy, and His faithfulness. We give thanks for family and friends, life and laughter, and the little things which bring joy to our lives. We give thanks for our circumstances even when they’re difficult. For we know the hand of God guides us through it all. But what if we remembered thankfulness every day? What if we lived in a constant state of gratitude? Would our lives be different? Would our faith be strengthened? Would the things of God permeate every aspect of our lives? The Bible tells us to give thanks in everything. What would life look like if we actually lived that out? Today we are reminded of all we have to be thankful for. May that gratitude move our hearts and cause us to make every day Thanksgiving.

https://medium.com/@willkrieger/the-world-didnt-give-you-your-joy-a-story-of-gratitude-10f24fe26f96

Finding Your Joy — A Story of Gratitude

By Will Krieger

10/24/2018

In an article for medium.com, Will Krieger reminds us that all of us go through seasons of life. Some of the seasons are good, others, well not so much. But he reminds us that we get to decide how we react to these seasons. How we react makes a difference.

He reminds us of several well known people who have suffered hardships in their lives:

Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison. Imagine the mental of those 27 years, and the choices he had to make in order to persevere. Was it hard at times? Absolutely. But he used the time to develop his mind and his character.

Martin Luther King was arrested 26 times, and that only scratches the surface of the challenges he and many others had to endure in the fight for equality.

Mahatma Ghandi was sentenced to six years in prison after organizing a non-violent protest that turned violent. Ghandi was horrified by the violence, yet served his sentence and continued to inspire his people and his movement.

Hellen Keller learned to appreciate so much of life, and accomplish more than most, despite not being able to see or hear from the age of two.

Lance Armstrong launched the Livestrong movement after battling cancer.

Walt Disney endured failure time after time early in his career before finally achieving his big breakthrough.

Mr. Krieger writes: “As we face the challenges that life can bring our way, we need to make a choice about how we’re going to react. If we aren’t able to keep hope, accept what is, and experience gratitude, it’s hard to move forward.”

He then tells the story of Anthony Ray Hinton.

“Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. He was working in a locked factory at the time [when] the crime [of which] he was … accused … [took place]. The police told him he would be going to jail because he was black.

“His time in jail was spent in solitary confinement in a five-by-seven-foot cell, allowed out only one hour a day. But, Hinton quickly became a friend and counselor to other inmates and the death row guards, many of whom begged Hinton’s attorney to get him out.

“A unanimous Supreme Court ruling ordered his release and he was able to walk free. In an interview he is quoted saying:

“‘One does not know the value of freedom until it is taken away. People run out of the rain. I run into the rain…I am so grateful for every drop. Just to feel it on my face.’

“Hinton was later interviewed on 60 Minutes. The interviewer asked if he was angry at the people who put him in jail. He said he forgave them all.

“The interviewer asked, ‘but they took 30 years of your life — how can you not be angry?’

“Hinton responded:

“‘If I’m angry and unforgiving, they will have taken the rest of my life.’

Mr. Krieger asks, “How much of your life have you spent angry or unforgiving for far less suffering, or for circumstances out of anyone’s control? Unfortunately, many spend part of their life angry or unforgiving of themselves.

“[Mr.] Hinton is a strong example of the ability to respond with joy and gratitude despite horrendous circumstances.

“…[Mr. Hinton is] quoted in another interview:

“‘The world didn’t give you your joy, and the world can’t take it away. You can let people come into your life and destroy it, but I refuse to let anyone take my joy. I wake up in the morning and I don’t need anyone to make me laugh. I’m going to laugh on my own, because I have been blessed to see another day, and when you’re blessed to see another day that should automatically give you joy.’”