Being Thankful

We live in a world where we feel entitled to things. Most people are trained to say ‘thank you’ when they receive something but the attitude of being grateful is truly missing. As Christians we are commanded to be thankful. 

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

‘What is God’s will?’ is a common question among God’s people. Well, here we have it! Give thanks to God, in everything. Your current circumstances are not an excuse not to give thanks to God. Your mood is not an excuse not to give thanks to God. There is never an excuse not to give thanks!

Apostle Paul is a great example of this. He faced challenge after challenge. Being thankful doesn’t mean that you can’t talk about your challenges. It simply means that despite your challenges you are trusting God and you can be grateful for the fact that you know God will see you through. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 perfectly captures this.

 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

In these verses you see that Paul doesn’t ignore the reality of the challenges he faces, but he also highlights that despite the challenge, God is there, and we hear praise and gratitude as he pens these words in scripture.

This can certainly be quite challenging, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic that we are currently facing. When we turn on the tv and watch the news , our hearts drop as we see the figures of deaths across the world rising and economies dropping. When we walk into the shops and adhere to the social distancing measures that have been put in place, we are again reminded of the seriousness of the virus. Every day activities remind us of the virus. Many have lost family, friends, homes, jobs, weddings, and even hopes and dreams. As a Christian, how can you then fulfill 1 Thessalonians 5:18? Simple, by first asking God to help you to be more conscious in terms of being more thankful and then simply making that conscious decision to be thankful. No matter how dark and dreary your journey may be, there is always something to be grateful for…always. Now, this is easier said than done, which is why I emphasize that this is a choice. If your gratefulness is dependent on your circumstances and how you feel about certain situations you won’t be a very grateful person.

Apostle Paul faced challenges yet remained thankful. Being thankful doesn’t mean that you can’t talk about your challenges. It simply means that despite your challenges, you trust God enough to be grateful because He can and will see you through.

Throughout Paul’s letters we see him being thankful for the saints, for their love for one another, for their steadfastness amid trials and so many more things. We know that most of Paul’s letters were not penned from a comfortable seat. Many times, he was right in the heat of trial, stuck in prison and in physical bodily discomfort. Yet, we see him giving thanks. Why? Because truly, there is always a reason to give thanks to God! Always! God is always good. 

I am reminded of the hymn ‘Count your blessings’- This always works! When you sit down and remind yourself of the way God has blessed you, whether it’s for answered prayers, peace, faith, love- you will end up quite surprised. A key point in this hymn is to count your blessings and name them one by one. Say it out loud or write them down! You will certainly be surprised to see what the Lord has done. Maybe take out some time today to thank God for your family members, for the blessing of being able to have hopes and dreams and for His presence in your life. But if for one reason or the other you sit down to count your blessings and find that you don’t really have anything to be grateful for, you can at least proclaim Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.