As another Christmas season passes, I have become more aware of the blessings I have in my life. A Savior who was given for us all, my family, friends, and health all add to this awareness.
Yet, as I contemplate these things, I know many who seem to be miserable or to find a way to be sad. This causes me to pause and ask why.
I believe misery is a choice like everything else in life. I understand that some people struggle with heartache and memories of love lost or unrequited during the holidays. Even though this is true, I am still convinced misery is a choice.
The question is, why do you choose misery? The answer may be that “misery loves company.” In other words, miserable people seek advocates or others to share in their misery. Maybe this is a desire for empathy and understanding, or it could be a desire not to be miserable alone.
It is disturbing to me one could wish misery on another, but I guess it may be better than being alone.
In my season of life, I see many who spend a lot of their time focusing on the problems in their lives. Whether it is health issues, relational issues, struggles with understanding world events, or the changes in culture that exist, it seems these people see nothing good, so they focus on what they perceive as bad.
This is especially disturbing when you have lived into your sixties and beyond because having lived this long is a reason to be grateful.
“Misery loves company” is true; the more company, the more misery there is to share.
What if we looked at life from the perspective of gratitude? What if we saw today as a gift to be cherished instead of an opportunity to complain about the next ache or pain you feel?
Wouldn’t life be so much better?
To do so requires a paradigm shift, and I believe it is simply a choice.
So, ask yourself: Do you see your life as a gift, or do you see it as falling short of all you had hoped it would be? If the latter, you need to know and understand you are not alone.
Everyone struggles with one thing or another. Everyone has experienced hurt, pain, and disappointment, but not everyone is miserable.
If I am right and “misery loves company,” maybe it is time to ask the company to leave, or at least it is time to see the gift you have been given in a Savior who sees your life as worth dying for.
Now, there is nothing miserable about that, is there?
Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
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