GRATITUDE
Give thanks in all circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Before you know it we will all be gathering around the table for Thanksgiving dinner. We will probably all eat way too much, but we will love every minute of it. As we think of Thanksgiving Day, I would like to propose that we think about some relevant questions. “What is gratitude?” “When should we show it?” and “What does God say about it?”
Paul wrote in Thessalonians, Give thanks in all circumstances. Well, I don’t know about you, but there have been lots of times during my life that I wasn’t thankful for my circumstances. But, when I reread what Paul said I see that he doesn’t say we should be thankful FOR all circumstances…he says we should be thankful IN all circumstances.
I think we will all agree that it is easy to be thankful when things are good. We find it easy to be thankful when we are happy and comfortable. But, it’s not so easy to be thankful when things aren’t going the way we want. But God wants us to live a life of continual thankfulness. It is God’s will that we give thanks.
I’m not saying that we have to always be running around with a big smile on our faces. Sometimes things in life are bad and we should mourn or be upset, but it is in these times that God asks us to thank Him anyway.
No matter how we feel at any given moment, we are still in control of what we say and do. We shouldn’t just give in to thanklessness. As we praise God for who He is and thank Him for all that He’s done in our lives, our perspective of Him grows larger and our problems grow smaller.
Even the Psalmist David complained about his circumstances, but more often than not, in the middle of his complaining he began praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He’s done.
God doesn’t want us to wait until He changes our situation, solves our problems, or makes us feel better before we begin thanking Him.
So, this Thanksgiving, whether you see blessings abounding in your life, or you are struggling to find anything to be thankful for, turn to God, the one who blesses you with grace and salvation every day and who longs for you to praise Him in the middle of your suffering, and trust in Him and His perfect purpose for your life now and forevermore.
Dear Lord, we praise Your name forever. Even though we may not understand everything that is going on right now, we trust that You are good and Your plans are good. Amen.
Pastor Ruth
