Putting on an ‘attitude of gratitude’ can help us navigate hurdles

I don’t say it only when things are going my way, either. It does naturally flow out of my mouth more readily when things are going right, I have to admit, but even when things don’t seem to be going “my” way, I know that things are going God’s way. 
    

When you have a near collision in traffic, realize you almost left your wallet at the grocery store checkout or catch the bowl of cereal before it spills on the floor, it is easy to say, “Thank you, God!” that you don’t have to deal with the resulting mess of any of those situations.  
 

However, do you thank God when you don’t get the contract, the house still won’t sell or you “do” get in the accident? This is much more difficult to do.
    

God has a way of creating the most beautiful results of our human messes. Only he knows how these events will stretch us and make us grow into an even better version of ourselves. 
    

A mentor of mine used to always say, “God’s rejection is our protection.” Sometimes what looks like God rejecting our desires and wishes is just his way of protecting us from ourselves or teaching us a lesson we didn’t even know we needed to learn.
    

Even with all of the uncertainty and sadness that has come out of our time in quarantine, there are so many amazing stories of positivity emerging. I have been worried for no reason about a coworker of mine who is a young, single woman from another country living in New Orleans. I checked in on her recently via videoconference to find out how she is doing being alone, expecting to hear how miserable and lonely she is.
    

Instead, what I saw was a huge smile and she said, “I am finally writing again! I haven’t made the time to do this in 10 years! Right now my story is just flowing out of me!”
    

I was so grateful to hear it and made a note to myself that God is going to help those who want to help themselves. If we try to find the positives in this situation, we will. If we try to find the negatives in this situation, we will. 
    

When we are living in a constant state of gratitude, we can’t help but find those positives. As German theologian Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
    

Stacy Glynn LaMorte is a wife and mother of three children. She is a work-from-home mom who is a fitness professional and does bookkeeping part-time. She loves being with her family, traveling, exercising, reading, photography and outdoor gardening.