Dear Paul,
As I’ve reflected on the words regarding the giving of thanks as you penned them, I find myself a bit frustrated. You so easily indicate that an attitude of gratitude is a choice. Yet, I don’t always feel like giving thanks. There are times when the circumstances just don’t warrant a thank-you! As I write this, a dear friend is caring for her mother in her last days; three young moms, whom I’m closely connected with, have recently been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer; the five year old son of another acquaintance has leukemia; another friend has lost her job and is the sole supporter of her family; a young woman suffered a miscarriage this morning; and news just came across my desk that one of our students, fortunately, failed a suicide attempt (but, what brought her to that place?). I’m having a difficult time being grateful.
Desiring a heart of thanks,
Peg
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Dear Peg,
You have correctly discerned my intentions with four words: gratitude is a choice. Obviously, you aren’t going to feel like giving thanks for the situations that are difficult. I never ask you to do so. Hear what I do say:
In all things give thanks… 1Thessalonians 5:17 (In the middle of all things… give thanks. In spite of the things…give thanks. In the process of…give thanks. Whether you feel like it or not…find ways to give thanks.)
I would never ask you to do something I didn’t model for you. So, in Acts, chapter 16, you read the story of how Silas and I were thrown into prison for helping release a slave-girl from the captivity of divination. Her masters didn’t much appreciate our brand of help, so they tore off our clothing and beat us with rods, and if that weren’t enough, threw us into prison. There, beaten, bloody, bruised, we were chained with our feet in stocks to the wall. There was nothing to do but pray. Praying reminded us that we serve a God who is bigger than our circumstances, who has a Sovereign plan for everything that happens, and that, in comparison, our prison was a very small thing. Praying turned to thanksgiving. Thanksgiving turned to praise. Praise turned to singing. As Silas and I plowed through our prison praise list, God responded with an earthquake. Our shackles fell off, and the prison doors flew open. We could have run, but we remembered God had us there for a reason. He wasn’t through with us yet. Long story short, the result of our grateful hearts led to the salvation of many souls that night.
When you remember that with me, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37)…When you remember that all things do work together for good to those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28)…When you remember that I will use all things to conform you to the image of my son (Romans 8:29), it’s easy to give thanks, not “for”, but “in.”
With love,
Paul
PS. You might consider a prison playlist on your phone for just such a time as this…