Behavioral Christianity Powered by Above and Beyond

Fortunately, Behavioral Christianity doesn't require us to "turn our lemons into lemonade"- a clichĂŠ that might be found in some cheesy self-help book. Certainly, painful events can shape us and build our character, but that doesn't mean we have to simply smile through the pain and pretend everything's fine.

Any behavioral pattern of gratitude that doesn't allow for grief is at best misguided. Can you imagine a passerby saying to Jesus, while on the cross, to "turn that frown upside-down"?

Ingesting life's difficulties and tragic events can be overwhelming. Having a heart of gratitude, therefore, is not about looking at the bright side of things. And it's not even acknowledging that things could be worse. Our thankfulness is never to be based on a set of circumstances. It's based on an ideal and a dedication to making the best choice for ourselves in the moment.

The answer to our pain and suffering isn't creating more pain and suffering for ourselves and those around us, but to behave like Jesus did in all circumstance where we are able, not just some. Jesus not only suffered for us, but he suffered with us. Jesus understood our pain and empathized with us which calls for us to understand and empathize with the pain of those around us.

Yet it's easy to miss our current blessings when pain overwhelms us, however. Most of us have shaken our fists toward heaven more than once in agony. Even so, our gifts are still there for us to take advantage of (once we get over our anger and start appreciating them). If any of us were in Jesus' shoes, we'd calmly inform each other that our misfortunes are the result of how we're interpreting them and have no inherent root in the circumstances themselves. The misfortunes don't care about anything . . . they're inert, they just "are". It's how we interpret them that gives us the pain we have. We cause our own pain.

One reaction to pain, that's always there whether we see it or 26