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that GOD sends down from the sky to revive dead land and to spread in it all kinds of creatures, the manipulation of the winds, and the clouds that are placed between the sky and the earth, there are sufficient proofs for people who understand.
Idol worship nullifies all works (39:65) but the worship of God and appreciation can save us. [39:66] Therefore, you shall worship GOD alone, and be appreciative.
The practices of worship such as the Contact Prayers, obligatory charity, are huge opportunities offered to us by God to redeem ourselves. I was reflecting on the blessing of Ramadan. In our life we continue to err and therefore need to collect more good deeds to make it to the Paradise. God placed the Night of Destiny in this month which I understand as a huge boost, better than a thousand months of normal credit-gathering for the soul. God is so very merciful to us and provides us with so many blessings. As I observe God and submit to Him, I actually feel the achievement of peace and satisfaction. This has happened in my life because He chose me to become a submitter. Otherwise, I was leading a life without proper directions. I truly appreciate this blessing of God.
[27:81] Nor can you guide the blind out of their straying. The only ones who will hear you are those who believe in our revelations, and decide to be submitters.
Life without thankfulness diminishes our love for God and the passion to serve Him. I feel faith without appreciation lacks strength. We should take time out of our busy lives to reflect upon and truly appreciate all of God’s goodness. One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful. Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighbourhood of despair.
Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a path for you if you turn to Him alone (22:15). Be patient and appreciative. Sometimes we spend so much time and energy thinking about where we want to go that we don’t notice God is protecting us from our own wishes. We desire to achieve many things in life but we forget that what God plans for us is the best. He is in full control. Be thankful and appreciate God’s blessings for what you have; you’ll end up having more (14:7). If you concentrate primarily on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.
A good way to start appreciating God is to always remember Him. Remembering Him means that He becomes a part of our thoughts, words and deeds. How can we thank God if we never think of Him? When we remember Him the most, we speak and act the way He would want us to do.
Repentance and seeking forgiveness is also an amazing facilitator of appreciating God. It is a powerful way to clean up our record and start afresh in appreciating Him. We thank God that He gives us chances to fix ourselves on this earth. The harder we sincerely try, the worthier we become of receiving additional blessings.
In the face of adversity, we have two choices, either we can react to our afflictions by submitting or by rebelling, objecting and becoming bitter. The first choice leads you to a path of appreciation of God and the second one takes you astray from His path. We sometimes tend to argue or doubt God’s plans when things did not turn out the way we want. But arguing (or objecting) is failing to recognize God’s grace and perfect control. God consistently plans and blesses us with what is necessary for us.
[31:20] Do you not see that GOD has committed in your service everything in the heavens and the earth, and has showered you with His blessings― obvious and hidden? Yet, some people argue about GOD without knowledge, without guidance, and without the enlightening scripture.
[108:1] We have blessed you with many a bounty.
God gave us minds to think with and hearts to thank with.
Instead we use our hearts to think about the world as we would like it to be, and we use our minds to come up with rationalizations for our ingratitude. We become discontented, unhappy and ungrateful people. May God forgive us and help us turn to appreciation.
[100:6] The human being is unappreciative of his Lord.
[27:73] Your Lord is full of grace towards the people, but most of them are unappreciative.
It is easy to say I am thankful for the sweet and beautiful things in life. The challenge is recognizing things of value when things are not going our way. If you look carefully, you will find that even tough times offer many reasons to turn to God and express our gratitude. It may be an opportunity to fix some deficiency in us or to set us up for something better. God is Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent. He is intricately involved in our lives and for that alone, we should be thankful. When you appreciate what you have, and feel enthusiasm for life, you move in the direction of the natural state God wants for you, i.e., happy and peaceful. The true scripture has come to us and God has guided us to understand it, so there remains no doubt whatsoever that we need to accept and appreciate His greatness.
[59:22] He is the One GOD; there is no other god besides Him. Knower of all secrets and declarations. He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
[59:23] He is the One GOD; there is no other god besides Him. The King, the Most Sacred, the Peace, the Most Faithful, the Supreme, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Most Dignified. GOD be glorified; far above having partners.
[59:24] He is the One GOD; the Creator, the Initiator, the Designer. To Him belong the most beautiful names. Glorifying Him is everything in the heavens and the earth. He is the Almighty, Most Wise.
May God guide us all to appreciate Him consistently.