You may be sitting on a pile of rubble, the remains of all you ever possessed. For others, their pile of rubble is in the cemetery. They can only kneel at tombstones with the names of their loved ones taken in the pandemic. For many, their lives, their emotions, their feelings, and their dreams have crumbled, leaving them with just a pile of unrecognizable rubble of what used to be. The chaos and uncertainty of the past year have challenged even strong believers’ faith. You may be asking yourself, “what do I have to be thankful for?” It has been said, “Before complaining about what you don’t have, give thanks you still have the breath to complain.”
Tragedy and disaster are like a fog that drifts over one’s life and hides the blessings they still have. If you’ve ever been caught on a lake in your boat, you know there are houses in all directions and the landing where you launched, but you can’t see beyond the bow of your boat. No reason to panic but rest in the fact the heat of the sun will evaporate the droplets causing the fog. Dark clouds of a storm can cover the sun, moon, and stars for days, but no storm changes the reality that above the clouds, the sun is still shining as it has since creation.
We are a consumer-driven society, always focused on what we do not have. This mind-set ignores what we do have. We can become stuck in discontentment believing ‘one-more’ will make us happy. How often do we take for granted the little things that have become so routine and expected we never stop and realize them as blessings from God? We never give a second thought to grabbing a clean, cold bottle of water out of the refrigerator when millions around the world drink from muddy streams.
This truth may be difficult to grasp at first, but none the less true— ‘Your life is not about you’. We exist for the glory of God. “The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise (Isa 43:21) also note this translation, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me (MSG). The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” God made us to glorify Him. Paul reminds us, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own (1 Corin 6:19)? Psychologists tell us thanksgiving is the healthiest human emotion. It produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life.
Examples are all through scripture telling us of people who gave thanks to God when their circumstances dictated the opposite. Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish. . . But I’m worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving (Jonah 2:1, 7 MSG)! A collision of three nations came against the tiny nation of Judah—Moab, Ammon, and Meunites. King Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to the Lord. The following day marching toward the battle, he put the Levites ahead of the troops. They sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord” (2Ch 20:21). When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped (v24). For Job, everything was gone. Note his response to this horrible news. Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God (Job 1:20-22).
I could give many more instances, but we must not miss Jesus’ example. He had spent three days teaching and healing a multitude of 5000 men plus their wives and children. He desired to feed them before sending them home, but His disciples could only find five loaves of bread and two fish. Instead of grumbling at His disciple that this was not enough, He took what He had and give thanks. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks” (Matt 14:19 NIV). They were all satisfied, and twelve baskets were leftover.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thess. 5:18).
The verse says we are to give thanks “in” all circumstances NOT “for” all circumstances. The foundation and focus of giving thanks are God and not what you possess. Thanksgiving is not merely a yearly event; it is a daily act of faith.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Only you can cancel Thanksgiving, but even if you are sitting on a pile of rubble, Give thanks to the Lord [WHY?] for He is good; His love endures forever (Psa 106:1).