This morning, my wonderful friend and mentor, Sandy, reminded me how to pray for people. She suggested I pray that God open our eyes to the blessings and joys around us, right where we are. We can cultivate grateful hearts, and that attitude changes everything.
I know that I’ve had times in my life when I couldn’t see the blessings around me. I didn’t know how to find my way back to gratitude for all the ways God was there and blessing me. My eyes were closed to it. I complained. I saw the negative thing everywhere.
I’m always amazed at how I can find myself in the exact same circumstances and, with eyes open to joy, experience my surroundings in a completely different way. Instead of complaining about what I don’t have, I can open my eyes to joy. I can ask God to give me a content heart, filled with gratitude, with eyes open to joy. It might be the sunlight filtering through a tree; it might be the awareness of the strength of our body as a gift from God; it might be a friend in our lives; it might be the way a delicious meal tastes or how a cat purrs.
God, please open our eyes to joy.