Probably
every parent, if they were doing their job, told their child to not take this
or that for granted. The nature of
‘blessings’ may have then been discussed and the teaching buttressed by perhaps
bringing up the plight of ‘the poor children of Africa’ who were not so
blessed. At least that’s the way I was
brought up, albeit in not a particularly religious way. And some of the same approach, with
significantly greater religious emphasis, was used in teaching my
children.
Do we
remember this teaching as adults when it could well be applied to ourselves?
One of the
ways we do this in our family is to always ‘ask a blessing’ on the food we
eat. Perhaps better stated is that we
acknowledge the blessing that we have food to
eat. Of course our gratitude
could/should be extended to our shelter and roof over head, our having a
healthy body, our freedom to move freely about, to gather together, our freedom
of speech, of religion, of political choice, etc.
But did you
ever think about the ‘non-positive’ things that may also have been ‘granted’ us
for our experience in this current life probation? And that they, too, have the potential to be a
‘blessing’ for us? I believe that is a real possibility. Sometimes the greatest growth occurs as a result
of our stoically facing adversity or deprivation and making the best of it
believing or hoping that in the end it could bless our lives.
And we often find that it does.
If, as most
Christians believe, our meritorious actions here in this mortal life will
largely determine our condition in the next life, why not apply the same
reasoning to looking at our condition here being largely the consequence of our
valiancy or lack of it in the spirit life of our premortal existence—or, as a test that could lead to our growth or
refinement of character. Logic must
allow such a possibility. Such is the
doctrine of my Church.
All of which
takes me to the conclusion that what is ‘granted’ to us, whatever it is, can be
ultimately be turned to our good.
Lemons can
be turned into lemonade.
