The Blessing of Thankfulness

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

As we gather with our family and friends this Thanksgiving, it is important to remember that being thankful isn’t merely a nice sentiment, but it is actually God’s will for us! Because God loves us, He wants us to recognize the many ways that He blesses us — that our very lives are a gift from Him. He knows that if we have thankful hearts, we will be able to experience the fullness of his blessings of love, joy and peace in all aspects of our lives.

Being thankful is seemingly easy when things are going well – when our health is good, our job is secure, our marriage is happy, etc. (though we often forget to thank God for these things!) But what about when we are battling cancer, suffering with grief, or wondering where we will get our next meal?

We all go through difficult times in our lives. For some people, the difficulties never seem to end. And yet, Scripture tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” How is this humanly possible? I’d like to suggest that, in human terms, it is not!

It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to give thanks at the darkest of times. Looking at 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, it is important to notice that before we are told to “give thanks” we are told to “pray continually”. It is from this place of prayer that the Holy Spirit truly enables us to give thanks. Prayer allows us to focus on the solution rather than the problem. When we bring our pain into the light of Christ, we see things differently. Our perspective changes. Hope rises anew.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I pray that you will bring all of your joy and your pain to the feet of Jesus and allow him to transform your perspective.  He knows you.  He knows your hopes and your fears, your struggles and your triumphs.  He is willing to provide “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3)?  For that we can truly be thankful!