Remember the Bad
Robert Emmons a researcher on Gratitude says that we should remember the Bad. He says we should ‘Think of the worst moments, your sorrows, your losses and your sadness and then remember. Focus on how you got through the worst day of your life, the trauma, the trial; you endured the temptation, you survived the bad relationship; your making your way out of the dark. Remember the bad thing and then look to see where you are now.’ Transfering adversity into something useful by contrasting where you have been, psychologists call it counterfactual thinking. God does it all the time. Remember I led you out of Egypt, I led you out of slavery to the promised land. Science is now telling us what the Bible has declared that remembering with gratitude how God led us through the difficult times of our lives will help us through the next tough time in our lives. By remembering maybe we can join with the Psalmist, ‘even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staff they comfort me.’ Invite someone to take a closer look at Christ and his church.
