Daily Thought For June 29, 2016

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Is The Glass Half Full Or Half Empty? 


A cheery fellow who lives next door to me will often remark on how lovely the weather is, and when someone replies, “I hear it’s going to rain tomorrow,” he shoots back, “True, but after the rain comes the sun!” When a curbstone philosopher tells him that health is the most important thing in life, his answer never varies: “Thank God for our health, but even more for the faith that sustains us through thick and thin and makes us happy in the hospital, as well as on the beach,” or words to that effect.

 This neighbor of mine sees a silver lining in every cloud, and perhaps he is overly optimistic. Some might call him a Pollyanna. One thing, though, is certain: He doesn’t suffer, as naysayers do, from tunnel vision. A story is told of an old farmer whose only horse ran away. In sympathy, his fellow villagers said, “What misfortune you have!” In reply, the farmer said, “There is no misfortune, only blessings in disguise!” A few days later, his horse returned with a dozen wild horses following along! The villagers said, “What good fortune you have!” The farmer replied, “There is no good fortune, only God’s will!” Shortly afterward, his only son was thrown from one of the wild horses and sprained his back. The villagers again cried, “What bad fortune you have!” Then, a few days later, his son was supposed to march into war but was excused because of his injury! The farmer declared, “If you trust in God, then there are only blessings or blessings in disguise!”

 Marks, F. W. (2012). The Gift of Pain (pp. 61–62). Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road Publishing.

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