A drop of water on a hot plate takes little time to disappear. It makes some noise and it evaporates.Gratitude in our life seems to disappear even faster. We seem to forget how much we have grown, how much we have received. The mind seeks more and more. And in every wanting of more and more, it forgets the past very easily.So gratitude arises in everybody, but disappears very soon. Today we cannot say that no one is grateful. Everyone is grateful, but for the moment and then it is finished.
Grace is that gratitude which can remain all the time.
It is like the snow in the Himalayas that stays throughout the year. It doesn’t just fall and disappear. Whatever falls on the highest peak stays.
When there is gratitude, complaints disappear. When complaints arise, gratitude disappears, gratefulness disappears. When there is a complaint in the mind, there is discontent, frustration, dejections, depression. All that follows. If you are not grateful, then you will start complaining. You will find fault. Even if there is none, you will try to see it. You will find it. Your mind will do it for you. You won’t even need to try hard. Your mind can easily pick it up. This is the lower journey. Gratitude is the plateau, the middle. And as you rise above that, there is grace.
When the gratitude in you, stays, that very gratitude flows out of you as grace.
Wherever you see divine grace flowing, there you will find gratitude. Just relax and be confident at all times. But at the same time, also be wise and practical. You should not think, “Oh! I have abundance of Grace in my life”, and then put your hand in a burning fire. If you do so then naturally your hands will get burnt. Being confident (of Grace) does not in any way mean losing awareness and being impractical. Also, feeling secure and confident should not make you passive and lethargic in life that you end up doing nothing. You should not become irresponsible. Do your job sincerely and attend to all your duties and responsibilities wholeheartedly. Leave the rest to God with faith.
