A shallow sorry fades fast.
A deep gratitude changes the person.
Both reveal what is really going on inside.
One of my favorite stories is about two men of old who owed money they could not repay. One owed $50 and the other owed $5000. Both men were broke and with no way to make good, were summoned before the King for trial. After hearing them out, the King graciously forgave their debt.
QUESTION:
Who was the more grateful of the two?
BEING MADE BETTER
The one who owed more was the more grateful. At least that is how it appears and it makes good sense too. But PAUSE here. The man who owed the lesser amount was still in very serious trouble. The penalty for both was the same…prison. So, while one man had more debt in number, both men were spared the same consequence.
That tells me something.
Gratitude is not only measured by how much was forgiven, but by how deeply the person understands what has been removed from them. One may say thank you and move on. Another may never be the same again.
NO HOPE AND THEN…HOPE
In another example, a woman of serious questionable conduct was forgiven. Before that, be it known that her sin was deep, consistent and long term. She had gone so far into her condition that redemption looked remote at best. Yet when she was offered a real chance to stop and do it no more, she took it.
From then on, she demonstrated her gratitude daily and in everything she did. People would likely ask her, Why are you so happy? And she could easily answer, Because I am grateful for all.
That is what forgiveness rightly received does. It doesn’t just remove the penalty. It changes the person.
HOW DEEP IS YOUR SORRY?
Sorry is an interesting thing. Some are sorry because they got caught. Some are sorry because pain followed what they did. Some are sorry because consequences showed up. But then there is the real thing.
A deep sorry sees the wrong.
A deep sorry feels the weight.
A deep sorry does not argue with the truth.
A deep sorry wants to change.
That kind of sorry is a very beautiful thing because it means the heart is still alive and reachable. It has not hardened over completely. There is hope for the one who can still genuinely say, I was wrong.
REAL GRATITUDE HAS LEGS ON IT
Gratitude that is real shows up in behavior. It is not just a passing thank you. It becomes a way of seeing. It changes how you handle your meals, your work, your spouse, your friends, your second chances, your quiet moments and even the troubles that help form you.
We take too much for granted.
Our routines.
Our health.
Our jobs.
Our coming and going.
The people who put up with us and love us anyway.
The chance to begin again.
To PAUSE in the middle of any day and recognize what has been given to you, what has been spared from you, and what still remains available to you is no small thing. It promotes humility, well-being and character too.
THANK YOU
The words thank you carry more than good manners. They reveal awareness. They reveal that the person speaking them is not asleep to life and not asleep to the value of what has been given.
The grateful person is easier to bless.
The grateful person is easier to trust.
The grateful person is easier to help.
The grateful person does not walk around acting as if the world owes them something.
Gratitude softens, cleans and improves the human being experience.
PEARLS FROM THE BOOKS
From Pearls for the Soul:
“Gratitude is the soul recognizing value and bowing its head to it.”
From God I AM:
“Mercy gives you a chance to stop being what hurt you.”
From It Is Finished:
“What is truly forgiven should not be carried as though it still owns you.”
FINAL SAY
Take nothing for granted.
If you have been forgiven, be grateful.
If you have been spared, be grateful.
If you have been corrected, be grateful.
If you have another day, another meal, another chance, another person to love or help…be grateful.
There go I but for the grace of God.
A deep sorry and a real gratitude are among the finest workings found in a human being. When both are present, the soul is being fed and the life attached to it will show the difference.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you