Men are not angered by mere misfortune but by misfortune conceived as injury. And the sense of injury depends on the feeling that a legitimate claim has been denied.

— C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

Oh, the grousing about we do, especially when we feel denied of one thing or another—some reward, or achieve­ment, or position that we felt belonged to us.

How enraged we may become when a wish, a hope, a dream, or a want is blatantly denied.

How easy it is to be jealous of the success or happiness of another, even convincing ourselves that the person has laid claim to something that rightfully belonged, instead, to us.

The lesson here is simple.

Remember to be grateful. God doesn’t owe us anything. All of it is a gift.

God, thanks for everything, just as it is.

Source: January 24: It’s all a Gift | Language of Letting Go

Related articles

• C. S. Lewis on How Courage Ranks among the Virtues (beinggoodnews.com)
• How to avoid being proud of your humility (mysanantonio.com)
• I guess people really don’t care about apathy (redletterbelievers.blogspot.com)