Thankfulness?

Today I have the privilege of delivering an answer to prayer. A refugee we know was a tailor in his home country, but his lack of English skills prevent him from employment here. Instead, he is sewing garments for those who cannot find or afford the styles they want to wear. He needed a new machine and God directed me to a friend who gave him the exact model he hoped for. It required an accessory which has also been gifted to him and I am delighted to deliver it.

This man is thankful, not only to the donor that made this possible, but to the good and sovereign God that he worships. Being thankful is an important virtue. Those who are not grateful stand on a slippery slope easily sliding into sinful idolatry. Yet those who give thanks also need to remember the One who is the source of all goodness and give thanks.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

Jonathan Edwards said this about gratitude: “True gratitude or thankfulness to God for his kindness to us, arises from a foundation laid before, of love to God for what he is in himself; whereas a natural gratitude has no such antecedent foundation. The gracious stirrings of grateful affection to God, for kindness received, always are from a stock of love already in the heart, established in the first place on other grounds, viz. God’s own excellency.”

Piper explains that God is pleased when our first delight is the beauty and excellency of God’s character, not merely in the delight of His benefits. This is a subtle thing, yet I am aware how easily I can miss it and make the gift my focus rather than the Giver.

If I gave a gift to someone and they thanked me often for it but had no regard for me, I would feel insulted or at least disappointed — no matter how much that person said thanks. If my character or generosity did not give that person joy in being with me, I might feel used, as if I didn’t matter and was just a delivery person. 

I know the difference. God wants to be the foundation of my gratitude. This can happen only because of the Holy Spirit and the new life I have in Christ. Otherwise, offering thanksgiving is just an emotion that happens totally apart from loving the Giver. True gratitude thinks of the goodness of God — yet does not leave out joy in His gifts.

When we delivered that sewing machine, I remarked on the goodness of God. Then the man who received it said, “God is good all the time.” When we visited his home last week, one of his adult sons said the same thing. “God is good all the time.” Their example illustrates the point: delight in God is true gratitude.

PRAY: Jesus, I thank You for this family whose hearts are so filled with love for You that they would give thanks even if their dad had to keep using his beat-up old machine without getting this new model that You so graciously supplied. This is a good example that models worship of You and contentment, rather than relying on Your blessings to urge thankfulness. You truly are good — all the time. It is also true that You are not glorified if the foundation of my gratitude is the worth of Your gifts and not the excellency of You, the One who gives all good things. Amen.

 

Changes needed!

Lately I’ve been noticing how I respond to the actions of others. Another Christian told me that he gets very upset when he sees other believers do things “when they know better” yet in my journey in the family of God, I’m not certain if others actually “know better” or not. Once I asked a pastor about my role as a teacher. I was concerned that I taught what they already knew. He replied, “Teach it anyway. We are so prone to forget or ignore what we already know.”

This morning’s devotional reminds me of what I already know and yet I woke up not thinking about any of it:

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:15–18)

My first thought? Evil needs a solid definition. Most use synonyms like immoral, or nasty, which also need defining, but one online answer says evil is “taking pleasure in doing things that harm people.” This makes the Word of God startle me… do good to those who try to harm me rather than hurt them back has to include speaking ill of them to others, even complaining to God about their evil actions. Can I do good instead? This gives me a challenge to obey the next time someone says or does something that I don’t like!

The rest of this passage offers three responses to life, and certainly God gives me many reasons for obeying them.

‘Rejoice evermore!’ My sins are forgiven and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to me. In Him I am accepted, a child of God and joint-heirs with Jesus. I’m loved by my Creator who rules all things. He even gives me the joy He commands as a fruit of the Spirit. When I walk with Him, rejoicing is simply there — even in the struggles and trials that are part of life. I’ve no reason to ever be grumpy or complaining, and many reasons to rejoice.

‘Pray without ceasing!’ This is not about being constantly on my knees, but about having an attitude of reliance on God for everything, including how I interact with others. In includes the above reasons for rejoicing, yet also having that inner realization that apart from Him, I can do nothing that is good — by His definition of what is good. The entire Bible makes that definition clear, as does the wisdom of God in His dealings with me. I am to have that conscious dependence that turns to Him whenever something comes up that requires wisdom, grace, protection, strength, even forgiveness and certainly the ability to be thankful. So be prayerful all the time.

‘In everything give thanks!’ Some say this is not saying to be thankful for problems, but thankful for the positives I have in Him, but I am realizing that no matter what happens to me, it is included in “all things” because it isn’t just giving thanks that is His will for me, but faith realizes that whatever happens is controlled by my sovereign heavenly Father. That means all things, and giving things in every circumstance because those circumstances are also the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me. So be thankful no matter what!

PRAY: Jesus, I’m so aware that the attitudes of my heart need to be governed by Your Spirit and not my flesh. In my mind, unkind people and blatant sinners do not deserve goodness, yet that is not the way You treat me when I act foolishly and out of Your will. You ask me to be more like You and I am so aware that without You, this is impossible. So, I am rejoicing that I know You, praying to be Spirit-filled each day, and thankful that You hear and answer this cry that enables obedience. It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.