Suppose We Lost Everything…

It has sometimes been suggested that to make us fully thankful, everything we have should be taken from us, and then one time, each cherished and essential thing should be given back to us again. It would be a shocking, sobering experience at first, but no doubt as our blessings were again bestowed, we would feel an immeasurable greatness of gratitude. But since actually most of us are not called to go through any such “shock treatment,” suppose that mentally we do so for a moment. Suppose that in our minds we strip ourselves of everything we have: loved ones, home, health, work, food, friends, freedom. Suppose that in our minds we see ourselves in stark comfortless want—and then imagine, if we can, how blessedly happy we would be if the blessings we now have were returned to us one at a time. And yet, with all we have, there is often evident among us an in explicable unhappiness, an inexplicable discontent. It is one of the perplexing wonders of the world that we should sometimes find so much to make us discontented—that we should so much let dissatisfaction keep us from the full and free and thankful enjoyment of all that is ours. Too often we let unfavorable comparisons make us unhappy and think too much upon what we don’t have rather than what we do. Life isn’t utterly untroubled for any of us. There may be loved ones far from us. There may be ambitions we have failed to fulfill. There may be some who seem to get what they have with less effort than others. We are all subjects to losing those we love. There are times of sickness and sorrow and setbacks. But despite all difficulties and periods of personal disappointment, thankfully let us face this fact: If we have enough to eat, enough to wear, enough to keep us well and worm, useful work and loved ones, health and home, friends and freedom—and faith—or even if we have most of many of these thins that so much matter, we have cause to join with the Psalmist in saying: “My cup runneth over.” If we think otherwise, again suppose we give up everything we have; again suppose we start with nothing and think grateful we would be for each blessing bestowed.