Thanks Giving

I heard a couple of great talks on thanks recently by David Jeremiah (from his "growing in the grace of gratitude" series) and I wanted to sum up the two major themes I got out of them.

The first major theme is that we really should be in a state of continual thanks giving for all things -- not just when things are going well for us (though it is so much easier to do so during those times) -- but everyday, for everything.

Why should we be in a state of continual thanks giving, especially when it looks like things aren't going so well for us? How about for the many gifts our Father in heaven has given us, especially for the ultimate gift of His Son, Jesus Christ? In the grand scheme of things, what problems in this world are so great that they should overshadow the death and resurrection of Jesus and the promise of eternal life? No matter what, we always have something to be grateful for.

Sometimes I get so focused on myself and my own insignificant problems that I fail to see how much in my life there really is to be thankful for. Jamie. Kids. Life. Health. Job. Friends. Home. Freedom. Church. God. And so much more. There are so many people without a spouse to lean on, or without children to love and nurture, or are dying, or are crippled, or are unemployed, or have no friends, or are homeless, or are persecuted, or have not experienced the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. So only by the grace of God do I have so many good things in my life than this to be thankful for, and I really should be thanking Him every second of every day for the rest of my life. Even if somehow I could, it would not be enough.

The second major theme is that it is okay to be thankful for and be happy with what we have been given, in spite of the pain around us.

There are many, myself included at times, who feel miserable because of, instead of thankful for, the blessings in our lives because there are always those who are worse off. We have food, but there are many who are starving. We have shelter, but there are many who are homeless. We have health, but there are many who lay dying. We have freedom, but there are many under an iron fist. We have the truth, but many are blind to it.

What good is it to feel so much guilt and be miserable? What hope can we offer people by reacting this way? Do we say "Here is the gospel, its great! Until you follow it, then you'll be miserable too." No, that is not right. Gratitude is the choice we must make, even in spite of the pain and suffering around us.

Why? Lewis Smedes puts it roughly this way:

If we waited for every beggar in the world to have a horse, we would never be grateful for the ride. If we waited for every person in the world to be fed, we would never be grateful for our daily bread. If we waited for every person in the world to have a roof over their head, we would never be grateful for the one that covers us while we sleep. If we waited for a world where no one died, we would never be grateful for life.

So friends, rejoice and be glad, for this is the day the Lord has made. We should find happiness and joy in it. We should give thanks to God for it. Only then can our minds, hearts, and spirits be in the right shape to share what we have been given with those who are in need -- food, money, or, most importantly, the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.