Thankfulness

I have been thinking lately about the true meaning of being thankful. I read this thing in a Corrie Ten Boom biography that really blessed and encouraged me. Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, Christian women who were captured in World War II for hiding Jews in their home, were talking in their concentration camp bed and reading the Bible. When, Bestie was meditating on a passage she said " Look at this verse, Corrie. Give Thanks in all things." Corrie had been complaining about the fleas in the concentration bunk when she stared at Bestie and said." You mean we should give thanks for fleas?" " Yes!" Bestie cried." It doesn't say give things for pleasant things, give thanks for everything."Corrie found this extremely hard to do, as it is for all of us. How could one possibly be thankful for irritating, annoying fleas? But later that week, when she was talking, reading the Bible , and praying with the other prisonors    , she found out the reason the guards did not enter the dormitories. You see, reading the Bible was not permitted and Corrie and Bestie were surprised the guards did not notice and punish them. They found out it was because of the fleas! The guards did not want to get near the prisonors because of the fleas! And that's when Corrie truly learned  to be thankful for fleas. God truly did have a reason for everything in his world and all one could do was to thank Jesus for everything he gave to them. For it was in thankfulness and gratitude you found joy and happiness. We are so blessed with everything the Lord had given us and this really taught me to not sin by complaining about minor things, when those in poor countries are really suffering and are not complaining at all. It reminds me of Job who suffered from so many horrible things happening to him, and yet did not sin with his mouth. Lord, help me to not complain! I need Jesus's grace and strength to overcome complaining, because I know I can never do it alone:that what one of the things I learned from the Corrie Ten Boom book and I really enjoyed the Corrie Ten Boom biography by Sam Wellman. I encourage you to read it yourself, it has taught me so many things that will always help and strengthen me to live a full life in Jesus, portraying his image to the world.