Radical Gratitude

Back in the eighth grade (I think), I read 'The Hiding Place' by Corrie Ten Boom. She was in a German concentration during the second world war. She had an extremely spiritual sister who encouraged her to be thankful in all circumstances. The sister even went so far as to thank God for the fleas in their beds. Corrie thought this was a bit ridiculous...until she later realized that they and their fellow prisoners were able to hold open Bible studies because the German soldiers didn't want to enter the barracks on account of the fleas. That is radical gratitude to me.

At a recent al-anon meeting, one woman mentioned that she is grateful for alcoholism because it brought her to al-anon and al-anon has brought miraculous healing and change to her life. That is radical gratitude to me.

It's easy for me to be grateful when things are going well. It's harder for me to be radically grateful when things are tough and confusing and scary. I want to be more radical. I'd also like to use radical in this blog post just one more time. Radical. There. I feel satisfied.