Thank you, God, for everything
By Dinah Dutta, Chaplain
I want to share a story with you, although I do not know its author. The reason I am sharing this story is that I am learning to give thanks to God for our current situation.
The story below reminded me of the song my mother taught when we were young: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God has done, count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”
There was a bird that lived in the desert — very sick, no feathers, nothing to eat and drink, no shelter to live. He cursed his life, day and night. One day, an angel of God was crossing from that desert. The bird stopped the angel and inquired, “Where are you going?” The angel replied, “I am going to meet God.”
The bird said, ‘Please ask God when my suffering will come to an end.” The Angel responded, “Sure, I will,” and bid goodbye to the bird. The angel reached God’s place and shared the message of the bird with Him.
The angel told Him of the pathetic condition of the bird and inquired as to when its suffering would end. God replied, “For the next seven lifetimes, the bird has to suffer like this, no happiness till then.”
The angel said, “When the bird hears this, he will be disheartened. Could you suggest any solution for this?” God replied, “Tell him to recite this mantra, ‘Thank you, God, for everything.’”
The angel met the bird again and delivered God’s message.
After seven days, the angel passed the same path again and saw the bird was happy. Feathers had grown on his body, a small plant grew in the desert area, a small pond of water was also there, and the bird was singing and dancing cheerfully. The angel was astonished as to how this happened. After all, God said for seven lifetimes, there would be no happiness for the bird. He went to visit God again.
The angel questioned God, and He replied: “Yes, it was written there will be no happiness for the bird for seven lifetimes, but because the bird was reciting the mantra ‘thank you, God, for everything,’ the situation has changed.
“When the bird fell on the hot sand, it said ‘thank you, God, for everything.’ When it could not fly, it said ‘thank you, God, for everything.’ Whatever the situation, the bird kept on repeating ‘thank you, God, for everything,’ and therefore seven lifetimes of karma were dissolved in seven days.”
After reading this story, I decided to adopt this mantra once again in my life. Whatever the situation we are facing, due to COVID or otherwise, I want to invite you to join me in reciting this mantra: “THANK YOU, GOD, FOR EVERYTHING” and believe that we will return to normal again.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thes 5: 18)
