I met a beautiful little lady this week. Her parents had brought her in because of difficulty breathing, a recurring problem. Born prematurely, her lungs hadn’t had time to develop fully, so even the slightest infection could bring on shortness of breath.
What struck me about this little girl, as she sat on the exam table, struggling for air, was her smile. She was just beaming! She just seemed so happy to be alive! Even when I was causing her discomfort, as I felt her belly and looked in her ears, she struggled to smile.
Thankfully, a nebulizer treatment did the trick and we were able to let her go home. The funny thing is, her smile stayed with me the rest of the day! When things got stressful, the memory of her beaming face put things back in perspective. If she could keep smiling, even while struggling for air, then surely I could handle a little pressure now and then.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
“All circumstances”? How is that even possible? Why would God tell us to do this? The answer is two-fold:
First of all, it’s good for us. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found a positive attitude can lead to better health. They suspect positivity may reduce inflammatory damage caused by disease. Apparently Solomon knew what he was talking about when he said, “A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22 NLT)
Secondly, having a cheerful spirit, in spite of our circumstances, helps others. Proverbs 15:30 says, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” Just like this little girl brightened my day, your thankful attitude, even in tough situations, may be just the pick-me-up someone else needs.
Life can be rough sometimes, especially around the holidays. It can be hard to find much to be thankful for. However, if we choose to have a positive attitude, to “give thanks in all circumstances” it can change our whole perspective and the perspective of everyone around us.
So today, if you’ve got the “holiday blues”, remember my little friend. Then take a deep breath and smile. Now, doesn’t that feel good?
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!