Thank you.
Two simple words with the power to change our entire outlook on life.
Thank you.
Two words that never diminish in meaning with repetition.
Thank you.
Two words that are sometimes very difficult to say. Because we just don’t feel very thankful.
The Thanksgiving season is upon us. And maybe we aren’t feeling very much like giving thanks. But my advice for all of us today, is to give thanks anyway. While that is definitely a tall order, I want you to consider my advice this Thursday on Thanksgiving. Give thanks anyway.
Even though this might be a tough time for us — I want us to consider what it might mean to give thanks anyway, and how or why we should.
I am pretty sure that in many churches today this verse from the Bible will be mentioned:
“Give thanks in all circumstances.” ~ I Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
It’s a simple phrase. It’s even beautiful! And it sounds reasonable, right? It’s just like my give thanks anyway phrase. Simple, but very difficult to do.
I don’t need to tell you how easy it is to find thanks and gratitude when things are going well. You wake up one morning refreshed, the sun is shining, you have an exciting day ahead of you —
give thanks — no problem. It’s your birthday — Yay — give thanks. Another morning you wake up — It’s a day you are looking forward to — everything in your life seems to be going well — you aren’t feeling out of sorts in anyway. YAY — give thanks.
But when it’s a different kind of morning —another morning of sadness — another gloomy day of physical pain and mental suffering — a day when you remember how your friend betrayed you, or your mind replays the loss of your loved one repeatedly — give thanks for those things?? NO Way!! How am I to give thanks in those terrible times of pain and suffering? In all circumstances, give thanks. Seriously? NO.
Now, I have done some research about that verse. I read some commentaries and explanations about what that verse is supposed to mean, and I discovered that most people seem to believe that the reason we are supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, is because we can trust God, because God has it all under control.
Well, let’s sidestep the discussion for today of whether or not God is control of every step we take, and instead, let’s examine why on earth there is any logic to giving thanks in all circumstances.
Perhaps there are several other factors to this issue, besides being able to trust that God is in control. Perhaps I don’t instantly and automatically say “Thanks! I am really glad that woman backed into my car in the Costco parking lot, last week,” but instead I do feel incredible gratitude that things weren’t worse.
Although I am out of pocket for some of the repairs, I am incredibly grateful that the accident was really minor and no one was injured.
Maybe that is the thanks I am supposed to give.
When I think of all of the difficult moments that have happened in my life, (and my life is pretty easy compared to many other people) there isn’t one moment in which I have been able to immediately think of thanking God for what just happened.
In most of those difficult moments, though, I have been able to pretty quickly feel gratitude that things weren’t worse.
What about you? Right now, you are thinking over some of your most difficult moments, aren’t you? Right this moment you are remembering or perhaps for the first time, finding some gratitude that things weren’t worse.
Here’s another thought — perhaps the thanks that we are to give in all circumstances — means finding the good in the situation. Back to the story of the woman backing into my car. Well, going through the hassle of the calls and dealing with insurance makes me grateful that I have insurance, and I have insurance because I have enough money to pay for it. Realizing that makes me even more grateful for my station in life. I guess that is finding the good in the situation.
Here’s my last thought on those five words. Maybe just by talking about this topic today, and even by just broaching the ridiculous notion of giving thanks in all circumstances — even the difficult times — just maybe, our perspective on giving thanks in general might change.
We all have had the experience where we suddenly gain perspective on the slight inconveniences of our lives — our first world problems in comparison to the tragic experiences we endure.
We can be so put out by having to unload the dishwasher, struggling to get the temperature in the shower just right, frustrated about slow wifi speed, until we recognize the gifts of those modern conveniences. Gaining perspective is a good thing.
I think that with repetition, we can train our brains and our hearts to find the good that comes from everything that happens to us. And then as a result, we will begin to develop far more generous hearts with wider, deeper gratitude.
And then, when we have wider, deeper gratitude, we grow stronger and more compassionate. And then, when we grow stronger and more compassionate, the smaller things just don’t bother us like they used to. Maybe that’s the whole point of that verse.
Author, William Arthur Ward has said:
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~ William Arthur Ward
Sometimes we forget to give thanks, even when it’s one of the great days — when things are going well. One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of the ten lepers. The story goes like this:
Ten people who had the dreaded disease of leprosy were standing on the edge of a village as Jesus walked by. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests, and as they walked they became cleansed of the disease. Jesus had healed them. Of course, the former lepers were excited! Of course, they were really happy to now be clean. Now, they could rejoin their friends and family and be welcomed back inside the village instead of hanging out on the corner being shunned. One of the lepers turned back and thanked Jesus. Only one of them. Jesus was a little miffed. “Were not ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where are the nine? Was no one else going to return and thank God but this one?”
It’s a great story that shows human nature. Sometimes we forget to say thanks. Sometimes we start to, and then the moment passes. Saying “thank you” isn’t just good manners. It’s good practice. It keeps us humble.
Staying thank you makes us feel more optimistic, and encourages compassion, kindness and love. Saying thank you helps us to fully appreciate our blessings.
Oprah Winfrey has stated: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey
This Thanksgiving, let’s try to remember to say thank you. To the family members around the table, to our friends who have stood by us, and to God — for loving us, for giving us life, people to love, and people who love us.
We might not be always able to quickly give thanks in all circumstances, but on this Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for as many of those circumstances as we can. Let’s practice thinking about how it could have been worse, and find the gratitude in that. Let’s practice finding the good in as many circumstances as we are able. Let’s give thanks for our blessings this Thanksgiving.
Amen.
Billy Graham once wrote these words:
“Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and joy…than a true spirit of thankfulness.”
It is my hope that we will all be surprised by how much thankfulness and gratitude we are able to feel this Thanksgiving.
We might not be able to say, “Hey thanks a lot” — in all circumstances, but hopefully we ARE able to find gratitude that things weren’t worse, and to somehow find the good in the midst of the adversity.
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