Ephesians 5:20 “…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Thank you. Two simple words. Simple but powerful. Words, according to Harvard Health that will make you happier when you express them. And Psychology Today reports that showing appreciation builds relationships and improves physical, mental and psychological health. Even war veterans with high levels of gratitude are found to have lower rates of PTSD.
Expressing gratitude should be an ongoing characteristic of the Christian life. Ephesians 5 instructs us when to be thankful—always, for what to be thankful—everything, and whom to express our thankfulness—God the Father.
But that always part can be tricky because we don’t always feel thankful, do we. How can we be thankful when it feels like all we have to be grateful for has been stripped away? And for everything? What about all those mistakes I make? Does everything include times of hurt, betrayal and loss?
I think the when and what make sense only in the context of whom. Only as we realize God not only authors all the good things in our lives, but uses the bad stuff for a greater, deeper good, can we move into a lifestyle of gratitude. So we fail, and God teaches us about humility. Someone hurts us and we grow more forgiving and kind. Thankfulness in the midst of difficulty becomes a crucible for courage.
I believe we cultivate a mindset of gratitude through everyday life.
Last weekend my husband and I attended a Penn State football game. Who knew it would snow? We certainly didn’t, and our lack of appropriate clothing showed it. But we thanked God for an extra blanket and a thin plastic poncho that cut the wind. I spilled mustard all over my white coat, but I thanked God for how good the hot dog tasted anyway. And worst of all, we lost the game, but we thanked God for the opportunity to just be at Beaver Stadium. We could have left the game feeling frustrated over all the things that didn’t go as expected, but instead we counted our blessings.
That’s what makes gratefulness so great. It clears our vision to see beyond our present circumstances. And it empowers us to replace life squelching negativity with words of life.
May this Thanksgiving find you giving thanks always, in everything, to God our Father.