Thankful in Every Situation
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:18)
Being Thankful is stitched into the very fabric of the Christian life. We do not even perform the blessed sacrament of Holy Communion until we’ve prayed the Prayer of Thanksgiving. Thankfulness is foundational for the Christian faith because life is so hard. It is easy to become so egotistical that we believe our suffering is so much worse. In his article “Thankful,” Dan Pedersen affirms, “Everyone suffers. Even the people you envy suffer.” So why do we get so angry when things do not go our way?
Pedersen reminds us, “Life isn’t easy. It’s tough. But it’s not as tough as it used to be, whether we’re talking a thousand years ago or even one-hundred years ago.” Whether it is access to food, medical care, or contemporary transportation, for most of the world’s people, the ease of life has never been better. Even those in the third world, who often face injustice and inequitable distribution of resources, tend to have more resources and opportunities than their ancestors.
Thankfulness should also extend beyond cultural blessings to our personal opportunities. Pedersen continues, “There are a lot of people who deserve your respect and partial credit for your successes.” None of us are truly independent. God’s Spirit places people and situations before us to nurture our development and fulfill our divine calling. Even our moments of pain and suffering are opportunities to learn and grow. Since suffering has the potential for spiritual and emotional growth, pain is a reason to feel thankful.
Today, pray for God to give you the perspective of thankfulness. If the blessed sacrament of communion requires thankfulness, so does every other area of our lives. Tonight, before bed, take a moment and think about what occurred in your day that makes you thankful. Then, remember the challenging and painful moments of your day. Instead of responding with anger or bitterness over the day’s struggles, pray for the wisdom to learn from our trials. Soon, we will experience thankfulness in every aspect of our day.