In everything?<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/shy.png\")
I look back now to my younger teen years where I hated myself because I was so timid and shy, especially around girls. But now I am thankful I was because it kept me out of a lot of trouble. If I had been wise, I would not have needed that ball and chain, but I was not wise, and God put the wonderful gift of shyness in my life to help compensate for my lack of wisdom and help me get through those years without ruining my life and someone else’s. Today, I am thankful that I was shy. It didn’t seem enjoyable at all at the time, but now I see the value. It protected me and others.<\/p>\n
Another thing about self-hatred is that it is not wise because it devalues what God highly values. I did not like myself, but I learned enough from God’s word to know that I should not destroy myself just because I did not like certain characteristics about myself. So, the ball and chain I carried so grievously were strengthening me in other ways.<\/p>\n
My shyness helped me in multiple ways that I was not wise enough to appreciate. It also challenged me to work harder to overcome my internal fears and insecurities. It is the will of God that we look for ways to turn our negatives into positive things for which to be thankful. I’m thankful for lessons learned the hard way. At least I learned and grew. There are difficult tasks and obstacles in life, but always an opportunity to grow deeper in compassion for others, in depth of love and commitment. The “trying of your faith works <\/b>patience<\/em>” (James 1:2-6).<\/p>\n See the positive? No? Train your outlook to look for the positive that comes attached to that negative. In everything “give thanks<\/em>.” What a wonderful way to enjoy life! Who wants to go through this short journey of life looking at everything so negatively? That is a miserable life. It is the will of God that we look for ways to be thankful in everything. Train your mind and heart to give thanks to God every day. Thank God even for those unanswered prayers uttered in selfish lack of knowledge and wisdom. Sometimes even those turn out to be great outcomes. You may have to pray a lot for wisdom, but always find the positive and give thanks daily.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Terry Wane Benton Paul says, “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). This is what God wants. He doesn’t want us to spend our time complaining and griping. Such a negative disposition! His will is that we spend our time “giving thanks” but doing so “in everything.”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1087,1395,595,704],"class_list":["post-40684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-gratefulness","tag-gratitude","tag-shyness","tag-thankfulness"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20149,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-know-i-am-loving-my-brethren\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":0},"title":"How do I know I am loving my brethren?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 13, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello. I have a question about love in the biblical sense. I am a member of the church and have been for a while now, but I am confused by the meaning of love in the Bible. I know this sounds like a stupid question, but is love a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50048,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-youre-shy-do-you-have-to-lead-prayer-in-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":1},"title":"If you’re shy, do you have to lead prayer in church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If you're shy, do you have to lead prayer in church? Answer: That is a great question! Let us be honest, you don't have to do anything if you do not want to! For example: When I was a child, I would try to keep a beat to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67190,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/thanks-for-the-help-with-my-ocd\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":2},"title":"Thanks for the help with my OCD","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thanks so much for all the help you have given me over the years. Answering questions by email and speaking to me on the phone. I am very thankful. I have truly learned so much over the years. I got hooked up with NOCD last year, and the counselor\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33801,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-i-do-my-girlfriend-told-me-shes-not-a-virgin-and-doesnt-regret-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":3},"title":"What do I do? My girlfriend told me she’s not a virgin and doesn’t regret it.","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi. First of all, I would like to say this website rocks and it's the best thing ever. The advice you give comes from your heart and I like it, but it also comes from the Bible and that's just amazing how you use the scriptures to help us.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29154,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jamaica-patois-wisdom-being-grateful\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":4},"title":"Jamaica Patois Wisdom – Being Grateful","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/jamaica.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":97277,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/ive-been-feeling-very-depressed\/","url_meta":{"origin":40684,"position":5},"title":"I’ve been feeling very depressed","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Sir, I recently suffered a blow-specifically, the affliction of physical illness-and I have been feeling sorrowful and distressed. When I am at church among my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, I regain my strength and feel filled with hope. 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