For what are you thankful? Beyond naming your relatives, good health, and the comforts of your home – for what are you thankful? These are wonderful things for which we ought to be thankful; however, if your relatives were taken from you, your health severely damaged with sickness, and your home was destroyed in a flood – for what would you be thankful?
Some of our former USA Presidents made pretty bold statements about thankfulness to almighty God. One such president was the only U.S. President to also serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was appointed by President McKinley as the first governor of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War and by President Theodore Roosevelt as Secretary of War. He was our largest USA President, weighing over 300 lbs. In fact, a special bathtub was installed for him in the White House (big enough to hold four men). His name was William Howard Taft. President Taft stated: "A God-fearing nation, like ours, owes it to its inborn...sense of moral duty to testify...devout gratitude to the All-Giver for...countless benefits."
We often equate our state of thankfulness with our surroundings. If our surroundings and circumstances are desirable, then we are equally thankful. However, if our circumstances are undesirable does that mean we have nothing for which to be thankful?
What is there to be thankful for?
Our God & who He is (Psalm 18:1-3; II Samuel 22:1-4)
The text of scripture in II Samuel 22 is almost identical to that of Psalm 18. This is David’s heart pouring out his thankfulness to God for delivering him out of the hand of King Saul and his enemies.
Read II Samuel 22:1-4. So, for what am I to be thankful? I am to be thankful for who God is! According to II Samuel 22, God is my:
v. 2 – Rock
v. 2 – Fortress
v. 2 – Deliverer
v. 3 – Security (“in Him will I trust”)
v. 3 – Shield
v. 3 – Protection (“horn of my salvation”)
v. 3 – Refuge
v. 4 – Focus of praise
You may say, “But Pastor, David didn’t give this song until after He saw the deliverance. I am in the middle of needing such deliverance. I am having a hard time being thankful.”
David’s circumstances were less than optimal, to be sure! His enemies surrounded him. The stress of enemies hunting you down kind of zaps the grateful heart, doesn’t it? Yet, the God of Israel prevails in the end. You may think — of course God prevails…but doesn’t the “Monday morning quarter back” in us all tend to grasp the “of course God prevailed” reality? It is definitely more challenging to believe “God will prevail” while still waiting for God to prevail!
So, what happens when it isn’t “Monday morning” yet. What happens when we are still in the game of hardships, and we have not yet seen God’s provision? What is there to be thankful for then?
We often don’t see the end right now – but thankfulness is still to be our response. God is true, faithful, and consistent before, during, and after the hardships!
Consider these Biblical examples:
Paul wrote some books of the Bible while in prison. He was awaiting a hearing with Nero (the Caesar of the time). Paul was a Roman citizen and had taken advantage of his legal right to appeal to Caesar to hear his case. During this time of unjust imprisonment and hardship, Paul wrote:
Phil. 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always….”
Col. 3:15 – “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
Eph. 1:16 – “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers….”
Eph. 4:29 – “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth….”
Philemon 1:4 – “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers….”
Paul gave thanks to God while in the hardship! Paul did not practice sarcasm or unkind words. Paul did not practice resentment or anger. Paul’s circumstances were far from comfortable or favorable. He was in prison. He had lost his independence and many freedoms. However, he chose thankfulness.
How can we possibly choose thankfulness in hardship? Rehearse what you know about God!
o God is sovereign (Rom. 8:28)
o God is working (Jas. 1:1-5)
o God has not left you (Heb. 13:5)
o God knows your need (Ps. 147:5)
o God loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3)
o God’s way is perfect (II Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30)
o So…trust God! (Prov. 29:25)
I have a picture of a lighthouse that I will some day hang in my office. The setting is somewhere off the coast of France. The lighthouse sits on a massive rock in the ocean. Immense waves of ocean waters crash against this rock causing considerable explosions of water around the lighthouse. Amid all of this, the lighthouse remains strong, unmoved, and continues shining its beacon to guide the ships safely on their way. This picture is stunning.
Now imagine we are all on a ship, off the coast of France, and we see this massive rock. The ship seems to be on a collision course with the rock. Some of us may feel helpless, after all, we are not at the helm steering the ship. Some may cry out with hopelessness and warn of our demise. Panic starts to spread from passenger to passenger. So, the captain addresses everyone on board the ship. He simply says something like this, “There is nothing to fear. I know the water is rough and the current is strong, however, all we have to do is keep our eyes on the light from the lighthouse and we will be safe. You have nothing to fear.”
Thankfulness is not the absence of “rough waters.” Thankfulness is trust in the one true guide through the rough waters.
So, when you are tempted to rehearse lies like: no one loves me, I am all alone, I can’t do anything, and life is not fair, so there is no use trying. You must look for the light from our good God, the light from His words in the Bible, and follow Him.
It is an honest man who gives God praise once deliverance is seen; however, it is a man who trusts God who gives God praise when deliverance is only believed and not yet seen.
Remember who your great God is! Don’t replace the picture of your great God for the picture of your circumstances!