I’ve heard a lot about the power of gratitude over the years. Everyone from Oprah to Ellen, from Glamour to Family Circle will tell you about the positive benefits of being thankful.
But I am ashamed to admit that it’s only been in the last six months that I have really put this into practice. Oh, it isn’t that I have been ungrateful. Quite the contrary – one of my favorite Bible stories is about the leper whom Jesus healed – the one who returned to say “thank you”. I really, really try to remember to say “thank you” when Jesus answers my prayers.
It’s just that I haven’t been quite so concientous about saying “thank you” when he doesn’t.
Saturday I was on the phone with a friend who admitted having a smidge of a bad attitude over her husband’s travel schedule. But, she went on to explain, she had started saying “thank you” the minute she felt the least bit dissatisfied.
“Thank you Lord, for his job.”
“Thank you that you provide for our family through his work”.
“Thank you that he’ll only be gone a couple of weeks instead of a couple of months.”
I totally understood.
You see, I have been practicing the same thing myself. And boy, oh boy, I’m left wondering why I haven’t practiced the habit of gratitude a whole lot sooner.
God’s word tells us to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ( 1 Thes. 5:18)
Note that God doesn’t tell us to give thanks FOR all circumstances. But rather, to give thanks IN all circumstances.
What does this mean?
Well, it means that when you and I find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a circumstance where we would rather scream “Calgon, take me away!” than face head on, we are to give thanks.
How does this play out in real life? Let me give you an example from about two hours ago.
At dinner tonight Ashton’s table manners were… let’s just say, less than lady like. I know this isn’t a deal breaker, but it’s real life. And it bugged me.
She seemed to think it was hilarious. I walked into the kitchen to clean up (we ate outside tonight) and muttered under my breath, “that child will be the death of me”.
But my next thought? “No. That child is God’s gift to you.”
And so, right in the middle of my kitchen, I simply said “thank you”.
“Thank you, Lord, for that child.”
“Thank you that she has enough spunk to drive me crazy every now and then.”
“Thank you that her personality causes me to grow in ways I desperately need to grow.”
“Thank you that she is more fun than almost anyone I know.”
“And thank you that, underneath it all, she is a really good girl.”
Let me tell you friend to friend, saying thank you is a powerful thing.
People search high and low for some thing or some one to help change their attitudes. That “thing” is as close as our own choice to say “thanks”.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thes. 5:16-18)
