
An old legend states that a certain Italian nobleman never left his house without first putting a handful of dried beans in his left jacket pocket. With each small but pleasant experience during the day, he moved a bean from his left to his right pocket. Each evening, as he took out the beans from his right pocket, he recalled all the happy moments of the day and thanked his Creator for them.
The first step to gratitude is a conscious decision
The above-mentioned aristocrat had made a conscious decision to adopt this grateful mindset early in life. He created a model of practicing thankfulness by recalling each beautiful detail of the day with a “visual memory aid.”
How do we categorize the various daily events for ourselves? Isn’t it true that sometimes just one unpleasant encounter can ruin our good mood? Negative feelings spread in our hearts and obscure our view of the many reasons for thankfulness in the day. Instead of consciously cultivating our gratitude, we slip into inner dissatisfaction, which eventually manifests as bitter complaints.
This did not happen to the nobleman in our story, because each evening he would retrieve the visible evidence of God’s blessings from his jacket pocket. This regularly put him in a grateful frame of mind. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the Apostle Paul urges us: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The first step to a joyful and thankful heart attitude is the fundamental decision to consciously recognize God’s blessings.
The second step to gratitude is complete surrender
Deciding to have a grateful attitude does not eliminate the inconveniences of life. But we begin to see them through different eyes; from God’s perspective and in view of our spiritual growth. When we can say with the Apostle Paul, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28), it becomes easier to inwardly resist the ups and downs of life.
According to Isaiah 55:9, we understand that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. When we consciously say “yes” to His ways and completely surrender our lives to God, we find reasons to be thankful even under difficult circumstances.
The expressions of gratitude
Complete Surrender
Complete surrender to God not only leads to a gratitude that is independent of life’s circumstances but also expresses the highest form of our thankfulness. What more can we offer Him as a sacrifice of thanks than ourselves?
Prayer
“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me” (Psalm 50:23).
In our personal as well as public prayer, we consciously express our thanks to God. It is good to begin our worship by thanking Him. By doing so, we honor Him and immediately direct our attention, and that of our fellow worshippers, to God’s greatness, power, and authority, as well as to His infinite love and wonderful deeds. This encourages us to continue entrusting our requests to Him as well as strengthening our trust in God for the future.
Singing
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him” (Psalm 28:7).
Singing is a particularly joyful and emotional form of expressing our thanks. Through a composition of meaningful lyrics and a fitting melody, we convey to others how God reaches down to us humans. Singing songs of thanks expresses our joy in the Lord, and even a troubled heart finds encouragement and is lifted up by it. The Book of Psalms is full of songs of thanks despite the hardships the various psalmists endured.
Public Confession
“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works” (Psalm 9:2).
We express our deepest thanks to our Lord in private but also in the church community. Frequently, this form of thanks continues to resonate in the hearts of our brothers and sisters. It gives us the opportunity to share the gospel as living truth, which we have experienced.
Working in the Kingdom of God
“…so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Colossians 1:10 ESV). “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Colossians 1:12 ESV).
Our thanks to God would be incomplete if we only expressed it with our mouths. A heart full of thanks naturally leads us to act on it, resulting in service in God’s kingdom. “Being saved inspires a desire to save others,” and the countless benefits from our Heavenly Father call us to do good deeds ourselves.
Dealing with “lamentable circumstances”
“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
What a challenging Bible verse! Give thanks always and for everything….and without complaining? How can we implement this biblical word practically?
Let’s ask ourselves what the most common reasons for dissatisfaction and complaints in our lives are, and how we can guard ourselves against this inner “spirit of complaining.”
How quickly we are tempted to complain about difficult life circumstances, whether they are political, social, or economic in nature! Sometimes, church problems disturb our peace of mind. When we fall ill, it is particularly difficult for us to give thanks.
How do we respond to disturbing political or social developments?
Let us remember Paul’s exhortation to the early Christians to pray, intercede, and give thanks for all people, including those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 13:1).
Even today we are called to obey the law, as long as it does not contradict the Word of God. We are urged to give thanks for the maintenance of order and to pray for the decision-makers. Let us thank God if we live in orderly conditions and express our gratitude by engaging socially and helping where needed…instead of complaining.
How do we react to the deterioration of the economic situation?
Let us look back and thank God for the good times we have already experienced. Let us once again consciously ask and give thanks for what has long been taken for granted… instead of complaining. Jesus Himself teaches this in Matthew 6:11. We can trust that God will hear this prayer and meet our needs at the right time, as He once did for the father of orphans, George Mueller.
If we are currently better off than our neighbor, our grateful heart will lead us to alleviate their suffering. This too is a reason for thankfulness when we are given the opportunity to share.
Where do we seek comfort and encouragement when illness strikes us?
Our health is a precious commodity. When it is taken from us, it often becomes an extreme challenge to our faith and trust in God. Clinging to God’s promises and praying together with fellow believers can carry us through this difficult time and help us overcome the temptation to blame God.
How do we cope with spiritual issues and problems in the local congregation?
Since we consider the church to be our spiritual home, our emotional well-being is closely tied to its development. Let us consciously thank God for the church services that are held year after year with dedication and to His glory. Often, a heartfelt expression of thanks has already brightened someone’s day and motivated them to continue serving. If there are problems, they should be addressed openly but lovingly, and constructive solutions should be suggested. Let us bring everything to God in prayer, get involved, and stand in the gap… instead of complaining.
How do we deal with challenges posed by people?
Sometimes we meet people who turn out to be wonderful additions to our lives in a short time. They seem to sense our needs. They are there when we need encouragement, admonition, or prayer, and they rejoice with us when God blesses us. Their pleasant nature constantly gives us reason to thank God for the gift of friendship.
However, sometimes God also sends us people who challenge and disturb us, perhaps even bringing our weaknesses to light. Does God really expect us to give thanks even for these encounters?
Let us try to see these people as someone who may need to learn about God’s love through us or through whom we ourselves might be refined when we recognize our own faults. Then, even such encounters are cause enough to give thanks…instead of complaining.
Let’s give thanks instead of complaining
This is what the song of the same title by M. Birkenfeld calls us to do. If you look at the text in detail, giving thanks turns out to be a real “panacea” against the habit of complaining.
Refrain:
Let’s give thanks instead of complaining,
Praising God when we are down;
For His mercy is unchanging,
And His miracles abound.
Verse:
1. There is no blind chance existing;
It is God who’s in control.
And when problems are persisting,
He can help us reach our goal.
2. He can form us for His glory,
Like the potter shapes the clay.
We don’t need to fret or worry;
He is with us every day.
3. When God wants to teach us patience,
We get opportunity.
When people disturb and grate us,
Let’s be thankful faithfully.
4. As God’s children we do confess
He has placed us here below
To be bright lights in the darkness,
That His love the world may know.
Brigitte Ress
Herford, Germany
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