Thankfulness is not an automatic response. Thankfulness is an individual choice that is sometimes overlooked, sometimes ignored, and sometimes rejected. A lack of thankfulness can be found crossing anyone’s path. It is the one hearing of a loved one’s passing. It is those overcome with addictions but longing to be free. It is the one unwilling to forgive. It is the abused, the manipulated, and the humiliated searching for justice. It is the one who feels the heaviness of trial or temptation for too long or too often. It is also those who are comfortable, profitable, and immensely enjoying their journey of life. It is in these times (and more) that choosing thankfulness is a harder choice than ever before, but choosing thankfulness, we must.
Rehearsing who our God is, and what He has done, are crucial elements of context to seeing our way to thankfulness through our situation.
1. Our Situation – what He is doing now and will do in the future (Psalm 18:4-6)
Psalm 18:4-6 expresses the condition of David’s state of mind at the time of his trial. Listen to the terminology used in this account:
“sorrows of death” - he felt his enemy like a noose around his neck
“floods of ungodly men” - his foes were large in number and came rushing at him all at once
“sorrows of hell” - his foes were wicked
“snares of death” – his trouble was significant and believed death to be lurking on the corner
“my distress” – he knew he needed help
“cried unto God” – sought One greater than himself for deliverance. He came to the reality check that He was not able to deliver himself.
David was desperate! He was in deep trouble. He was facing a life-or-death matter…and he knew it. He was afraid. Go back to Psalm 18:4. David speaks of his fear as he remembers the multitudes (“floods”) of ungodly men surrounding him swiftly.
Sometimes we need to learn about adversity to find our way to thankfulness. What do these verses teach us about adversity?
Acknowledge your problem. Do not ignore it. To ignore something actually indicates future resolution will be still needed.
Fear can be a good thing when it turns you to God.
God is the solution. Cry out to him with your burdens and troubles. He will hear you. (18:6)
Isn’t it helpful to see the extreme nature of David’s situation and see God hear him and comfort him? It was rehearsing who God is, and what He has done in the past, that drove David to God for help in what God was doing right now.
Let’s take a moment to walk through the scripture to find thankfulness in what God is doing right now in our lives.
Present Day Trials (Ps. 119:71; James 1:2-4)
Years ago, my brother called me on a Friday night. Charis and I were on our way to a family game night at a church member’s home in the foothills of Colorado. It was a beautiful evening. The phone call came as we were pulling up to the event. His voice was sounded subdued, troubled. I knew pretty quickly that he had some bad news. He went on to tell me he had cancer. It was aggressive colon cancer. He was having surgery to remove the tumor. The tumor was in the same location as our grandfather’s tumor when he had cancer. This battle of cancer for a 38-year-old father of 6 young boys was deep, long, hard.
Thankfulness came when he sharpened his focus on who God is and what God has done… and as a result, he trusted God – deeper trust in God yielded greater thanks to God. It was a process of sweet surrender to God that was hard and full of sacrifice. Thankfulness was one of the fruits of processing this trial through deeper trust in God’s view.
Whether it is self-pity, self-praise, resentment, anger, pride, ambition, bitterness, envy, or thankfulness – we choose it. What we rehearse in our mind will play a significant role in our choices. So, the question is not, “Why are they so unthankful?” The question really needs to be, “What are they continually thinking and rehearsing in the privacy of their mind?”
Present Day Temptations
Finding thankfulness as you battle temptations is possible as well! Consider these helpful Bible truths as we follow God’s pathway to thankfulness.
I Corinthians 10:13. I am not the only one who struggles with this issue. I cannot do it myself. God will enable me to be victorious as I call on Him for strength and make the hard decisions to obey in the small choices of life. I can choose to be thankful that God is working in me and for me even during times of temptation. Here are a few practical everyday tips to helpful encourage victory:
Sleep. Health. Balanced Diet.
We are at our greatest propensity for temptation when we are sick, tired, and hungry. If we ignore proper rest, a sick body, and the lack of needed nutrition, we will look to self-medicate in sinful ways (gluttony, pornography, immorality, alcohol, addictive gaming habits, drugs, etc.) to relieve stress that was meant to be addressed through proper sleep, good food choices, and well-cared for physical bodies.
Exercise.
Physical exertion through routine exercise is a helpful source of relieving stress and calming your mind.
Bible memory.
There is a reason God asks us to rehearse His words in our minds (Joshua 1:8; Ps. 1:2; Heb. 4:12)! God’s word is powerful.
Spiritual Amputation.
Sometimes we need to take extreme steps to find victory. Matthew 5:29 exhorts us to pluck out our eye if it is causing you to stumble spiritually. In other words, do whatever it takes to stop falling. For example, put an internet filter (with someone else knowing the password) on your electronic device to stop viewing sinful things or get rid of the electronic device altogether. It would be better to go without than to continue in sin.
Here are three more passages to study in our search for thankfulness amid present temptations.
o I Cor. 15:57-58 – I can choose to be thankful that I can always find victory through Jesus Christ. I know where to find victory!
o Hebrews 2:18 – I can choose to be thankful that I know where I can always find help.
o Hebrews 4:15-16 – I can choose to be thankful that I can boldly pray for grace and mercy from the One who was tempted like I am.
Past Times Failings (Phil. 3:13-14)
I can choose to be thankful that sinful, horrible choices from my past are in the past. Once I have repented and confessed them as sin (Prov. 28:13; I Jn. 1:9), they are covered by the blood of Jesus. So, leave them in the past.
Sometimes there are consequences that stay with us the rest of our lives because of our sinful choices (i.e.- disease, abuse, prison), but we cannot change the past by rehearsing it. Learn from it, but do not punish yourself with it. God already took the punishment for you in your place!
Terrific Times of Blessing (Ps. 118:23).
It is definitely easier to choose thankfulness for the things we consider a blessing. However, sometimes we fail to thank God for them. Sometimes we live as though God owes us that blessing.
Johnson Oatman, Jr. understood the need for thankfulness regardless of one’s circumstances. At one point in time, he wrote:
“Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold:
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged – God is over all;
Count your many blessings – angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Count Your Blessings – name them one by one;
Count your blessings – see what God hath done;
Count your blessings – name then one by one;
Count your many blessings – see what God hath done.”
What do we have for which to be thankful? We have God. We have His amazing salvation. We have God’s continued patient work in us each and every day. Don’t lose sight of who your God is, what your God has done, and your God is doing right now in your current life situation!