http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4:12&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:28&version=NIV1984
As Americans, we live in one of the most affluent countries in the history of the world. We have so much to be thankful for. Freedom. Opportunity. A very high standard of living. Yet not all Americans are thankful. In fact, a sizable minority are not very thankful at all. For people like this there is always something to complain about. Family members aren’t doing enough for them. Or their boss. Or their teacher. Or the government. Or God. Of course, when you feel entitled to everything you are thankful for nothing. Fortunately, the majority of Americans are thankful. That is something to be thankful for right there!
In thinking about thankfulness it appears to me that there are some misconceptions regarding it. Such as that it is easier to be thankful if you have a lot of possessions. Or good looks. Or are super-talented. Certainly these are things to be thankful for. But just having them is no guarantee that we are going to be thankful for them. Another misconception is that it is harder to be thankful if you don’t have a lot of possessions. Or good looks. Or are not super-talented. Certainly these are things to be thankful for. But just because we don’t have them doesn’t mean that we still can’t be thankful.
The fact is that thankfulness is a state of mind. It is an attitude. An attitude of gratitude. If thankfulness is an attitude then it means several things. One, that everyone can be thankful. Yes, some people are more prone to being thankful than others. But no one can say that thankfulness is out of their reach. That they are incapable of it. Everyone can be thankful. And should be thankful.
Two, thankfulness it is not dependent upon how much or how little we have. So the person who has very little can be just as thankful as the person who has a lot. Thankful that they don’t have all those possessions that end up distracting others. Thankful that they don’t have to worry about maintaining and securing all their ‘stuff’. Thankful that their ‘stuff’ doesn’t get in the way of their relationship with God.
Three, thankfulness is a choice. Let’s face it, some things are difficult to be thankful for. Such as being laid off, failing an exam, having cancer, being in a difficult marriage. Yet I have known people who were thankful for these very things. Maybe not right away. But eventually. Because they saw how God was using that situation for good. Theirs and others.
I believe that if we will make a commitment to being thankful, that we will become thankful. After all, feelings often follow the will. When we choose to obey God, we will become obedient. When we choose to love someone, we will love them. When we choose to be thankful, we will become thankful.
I hope this Thanksgiving Day that your heart is overflowing with all the blessings that God has given you. The fact is that if you are reading this right now then you must have the blessing of life. You must have the blessing of sight. You must also have the blessing of a computer screen. And you must have the blessing of comprehension. (At least I hope you do!) So, as the old hymn says:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done!
Lord, on this day of national thankfulness, I lift my voice in thanksgiving to You. You have blessed me so much. And in so many ways. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment