Haim G. Ginott once wrote, “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”
These words ring true for all of us. For me, as someone in recovery, they are a daily reminder that my response to life, not my circumstances, is what determines my peace, my growth, and the impact I leave on others.
My dad always told me, “As long as you can still laugh at the absurdity of life, you’re not too far gone to be saved.” At the time, I didn’t always understand it. Life isn’t a joke, and the situations I found myself in were often anything but funny. But what he meant was that I had a choice. Even in the darkest moments, I could decide how I responded.
Proverbs 17:22 reminds us,
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
That truth feels more important now than ever. We live in a world that seems increasingly divided. Political, cultural, and personal differences are constantly highlighted and weaponized. When we focus only on what separates us, we become easier to defeat, whether as a nation, a community, or as individuals in recovery.
The same principle applies to my own journey. If I choose to dwell on negativity, regrets, and everything I’ve lost, I rob myself of strength and hope. But if I choose gratitude, if I focus on the good I have today, I find the fuel I need to keep moving forward.
I’ve made more than enough bad decisions in my life. I could easily replay my failures and stay trapped in regret, resentment, or anger over things I cannot change. But I’ve learned that doing so only leaves me stuck in chains I was meant to break free from.
Instead, I choose gratitude. I choose to see my path, even the painful parts, as something God is weaving into a bigger purpose.
Philippians 4:8 gives me a daily filter for my thoughts:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
My substance use disorder left me a convicted felon. My bachelor’s degree in Communications, something I once thought was wasted, is now what allows me to give a voice to those of us in recovery. My wounds, my healing, my education, and my faith have all come together in what I believe is God’s perfect symphony, written to make me uniquely qualified to do the fulfilling work I get to do today.
I may not always control the storms that come, but I can decide whether my response brings light or darkness, healing or harm. And each day, I thank God for the chance to respond with gratitude, with purpose, and with hope.
A Prayer for Choosing Gratitude
God, thank You for the reminder that while I cannot control every circumstance, I can always choose my response. Help me to resist division and negativity, and instead respond with grace, gratitude, and love. Use my past, my present, and my future as instruments in Your perfect symphony. Amen.
Ready to respond differently to life?
At Isaiah House, we believe your past does not define you—your response today does. Call us at 859-375-9200 and take your next step toward healing, hope, and a future full of purpose.