The gratitude effect

Text: 1 Thess. 5:18 | Give thanks in all things

I have learned that most scripture is easier read than done, and most things spiritual are easier said than done. Take for instance the command of God's word to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will concerning us; my question used to be "How?". There would be seasons in my life where I felt a profound sense of loss or confusion, and I'm sure we can all relate to these seasons. Financially dry seasons have been a particularly tough time for me to be thankful in. I tend to sound a lot like the Israelites in the wilderness always murmuring and complaining to God and against Moses. We suffer loss, we grieve, we experience sickness and conflict, we grapple with the challenges of familial relationships, we open empty cupboards, drive cars on "E", check bank account balances and see nothing "stacking up" but zeros....and only zeros... and we feel feel that pang of resentment swell within us because of these things.

We make "Faith moves" that feel like "fall flat on or face moves". We take the lead in leaping off the cliff of trust and encourage others to trust and do the same because of the great momentum we've built up. Then we fall, are broken and wonder how? why? Or we don't get the desired/expected results from our efforts in ANY area and feel the weighty disappointment that drags us down into despondency or depression. We get discouraged when we work hard and our jobs don't pay us how we feel they ought to, we get droopy when our marriages aren't as fulfilling as we anticipated they would be. We feel deranged when our children aren't growing and developing into all that we hoped they would; and we look to God asking "why?".

Job faced similar odds to many of us. He truly could relate to loss and grief in ways and on levels that most of us can't even begin to fathom. Job lost his children, his servants, his animals, his crops, and in addition to these things, he lost his sense of security, his friends, his health, his wife insisted he curse God and die so he lost his partner in her rejection of God. Yet scripture states that in all this, Job charged God with no wrongdoing. How? His gratitude perspective.

We can learn a lot from this grounding of our faith as Job did, in the unchanging character of God. Job said " the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord". This guy prefaced his statement of fact-"I have lost much", with a statement of gratitude and reminder of God's goodness-"The Lord has given". That is the gratitude effect. It is the ability to remind ourselves in our seasons of greatest loss that ultimately God is still good and His mercies endure forever. It is holding firmly fast to the immutable truth that regardless of how sick we are, broke we are, broken we are, low. depressed or discouraged we are; He is still God and He is still good. Despite what we've done, how we've failed, who we've failed, who's failed us, how disappointed or confused we are ; He is still with us and He still has everything in His control. From that standpoint, with that reminder ringing in our troubled minds, we can ALWAYS give thanks.

I find it's easier these days to give God thanks in everything. I have seen trouble lol, believe me. I have learned that the scriptures never lied in Job 14:1 where it states that “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble." Yet I have also seen the goodness of God daily demonstrated, I have also witnessed the only faithful God, be faithful and consistent in every season. I have learned that we cannot charge God with wrongdoing as He is truly perfect in ALL his ways. Any time I grow weary or confused, I can lean into the reminder that His ways are infinitely above mine and as such they are beyond my finding out. Where my selfish little heart wants to complain some trifling loss, The Holy Spirit reminds me of His many benefits {Psalms 103:2}. He has been good, and in spite of what trouble and hardship may come, He will always be good.

Dear friends, never lose sight of the goodness of God, even when your eyes are puffy with crying and tears blur your view. Don't allow forgetfulness to poison your perspective of thanksgiving. No matter how much we've lost, others have lost far more and your losses do not erase the MANY WINS He has brought you-remember that, and reflect on those. Keep your eyes transfixed today on the faithfulness of God in all times and I promise you, He always rises to the occasion to prove himself faithful once more; and should he never bless us again, He has done enough for his faithfulness proven for all time. For these, our hearts ought to overflow with thanksgiving.

May we embrace the gratitude effect today.

Takeaway:

We must give thanks to God in all circumstances.

Prayer:

Father, I repent for my ungratefulness. I am sorry that I have allowed my perspective to be skewed by my greed, selfishness and short-sighted unfaithfulness. You are faithful God, and today I call my heart to remembrance of your goodness in spite of where I am, what is happening or what has happened. You remain good, faithful, true and loving towards me, and for this I am grateful. Your mercies endure forever Lord and the fact that I am alive is proof that you have NEVERY given me what my sins deserve. For this I am grateful. Thank you for your unending love, neverending kindness and your sufficiency. I choose to trust you, I love you, Amen.