In All Things Give Thanks

MP3 File: 

20111120 Sermon.mp3

This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a tradition for us, something that is deeply ingrained in our history—a feast of celebration, reminding us to honor God for his blessings and provision.

The Jews celebrated thanksgiving thousands of years ago, going back to sacrifices of “thanksgiving” in the time of Leviticus in the OT. David appointed a minister of worship named Asaph to lead the people in giving thanks to God (1 Chron 16:7).

The word “thanks” or some extension of that word appears about 175 times in the Bible, depending on which translation you use.

Harvest celebrations have been part of most cultures down through the ages. Pentecost was originally a Jewish harvest festival.

The Pilgrims, early immigrants to this continent, gave thanks to God for his help to them in bringing them through a hard winter and establishing them in the New World.

Thanksgiving was officially established in this country by presidential proclamation in 1863 when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated—even in the midst of the suffering and devastation of the Civil War.

What are you thankful for? Testimonies.

Thanksgiving is a good tradition, but it should actually be more than a tradition, certainly more than a routine recitation of the things God has given or the things he has done for us.

For instance are you thankful for everything—even the “bad” things you’ve experienced? For the challenging, difficult, disappointing things in your life?

MOVIE CLIP: “Give Thanks Always”

In ALL things, in all circumstances…give thanks?

When it comes to giving thanks, we have two problems—problems on opposite ends of the spectrum in how we respond to events in our lives. And both responses stem from our selfish human nature.

(1)  We take some things for granted.

If we feel we deserve something or are entitled to something, then we won’t be grateful when we receive it. We expected it! We had it coming! Why be thankful for what we’re supposed to have? Why be thankful for something we did?  Instead of being thankful, human nature argues:

à “I worked for that paycheck! I put in 60 hours of back-breaking, hard labor. I earned this! In fact, I should be paid more than I am!”

(2)  We reject other things God permits.

We don’t enjoy painful, unpleasant things, so it’s hard to be grateful for those things we’d rather avoid. Why be thankful for something that hurts or troubles us? Why be thankful for tragedy or disappointment or anything that does us no good?

à Instead of being thankful, human nature asks: “What did I do to deserve this?” Or: “I don’t deserve this!”

We tend to measure our experiences by what we think we “deserve”—and when we think we don’t get enough of what we deserve or when we think we get too much of things we don’t deserve, then it’s difficult to give thanks.

When it comes to things we think we don’t deserve—difficulty or pain—we are “short-sighted.” We reject and rebel against those things and fail to see how God could be accomplishing something far greater.

We can see short-term discomfort, but we’re unable to see the long-term benefit.

If we could see beyond the immediate situation, if we could see the final outcome of going through the trouble, then we could be more thankful in hard times.

We’re grateful for the pie and ice cream, but what about the spinach and the broccoli? Why do we so eagerly embrace the sweet and delicious events of life, yet we work so hard to spit out the bitter and distasteful things that come our way?

In October, I was laid up with debilitating back pain. For nearly a month, I couldn’t do the things I was supposed to do—couldn’t do the things I wanted to do. I felt irresponsible. I couldn’t take care of preparations for our daughter’s wedding. I couldn’t do my job. For a time I couldn’t even take advantage of the down time to study and read, I was in such pain.
   And—I’ll be honest—I asked God, “Why? Why now?”  I tried reasoning with God: “Couldn’t you have allowed this in January, when these big obligations and responsibilities are finished…then I’ll have the time to be an invalid.”
   If you had asked me, “Are you thankful for your herniated disc? Are you celebrating that sciatic nerve that keeps you awake all night climbing the walls? I would have had a difficult time saying, “Yes, I’m thankful.”

But in the midst of my pain, I became aware that God was doing something deep within my soul. He was slowing me down, redirecting my heart, getting my attention, teaching me something new. I can’t say I enjoyed what I had to experience in order to learn the lessons, but I could tell God was up to something.

Something good.

Recently I went back to my Twitter account to review some things I wrote down during that time. On October 1, if you receive my tweets, you would have read what I wrote: “Some things are learned better in life than in books”—and then I listed four things I was learning:

(1) Being immobilized by pain for days shows me that an invalid is still valid. [Our “worth” is not measure by what we can do, but by how God sees us.]

(2) Admitting helplessness can be empowering. [When I admitted my need, I received help from friends—I was able to do more than I could have when I was healthy.]

(3) Independence can be driven by pride and self, not just responsibility. [I came to see that my motivation for not asking for help was wrong—pride can be sin.]

(4) Some “important” things aren't really that important; they can wait. [I learned to evaluate things on God’s scales, not mine.]

When you’re going through a tough time, going through difficulties that don’t seem to make sense, when answers and explanations seem far off, don’t be afraid to wrestle through the issues with God. He may show you something.

In the dark times of life it’s possible that you may discover God in deeper ways than before. Maybe you can learn eternal truths, spiritual truths. If you do, then you can be thankful.

On the other hand, there may be times so dark, experiences so devastating, disappointment so painful, that you cannot see anything good coming out of it. No lessons. No spiritual growth. No eternal perspective.

When you wrestle with God and you’re left with only silence. No answers. No explanation. How can you give thanks when you’re going through the dark night of the soul?

How do you say thank you for cancer? For the loss of a loved one taken too young, too soon? For broken dreams that are gone forever? For addiction that robs your dignity and holds you hostage? For crippling, mind-bending disappointment? How do you say thank you when life proves to be so grossly unfair?

In such times, giving thanks is something we can do only by faith—we can give thanks because we choose to believe God’s promise in spite of our circumstances. We can give thanks because we choose to obey God’s command to give thanks.

And even though we cannot see it, we trust that God is working something out:

Romans 5:2-4 ² …we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.

James 1:2-4 ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Hebrews 5:7-8 ⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered…

So we can give God thanks in our troubles—not because we enjoy the trouble—but because we believe God is in control of our lives and that he is working out something far better in us for eternity.

Why is it a good thing to give thanks? Is there anything in it for me? How does giving thanks benefit me?

Here is what I’ve observed: It is healthier to be thankful than to grumble and complain. Complainers invite more trouble. Complaining is like a poison.

The examples could go on and on, but let’s look at it from a more positive perspective.

Melinda Beck, “Thank You. No, Thank You,” The Wall Street Journal (11-23-10): Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections.

Consider the benefits that will come to you if your life is characterized by an attitude of gratitude:

• Thankful people are positive people—and as a result, they experience more in life; they get more out of life; they enjoy a more abundant life.
• Thankful people have a better perspective—they have a better outlook, a healthier grip on reality; they are able to discern good from bad; they understand the ultimate value of events and are able to look beyond the short-term pain to see the long-term gain.
• Thankful people enjoy stronger relationships: they are more uplifting to others; they are more fun to be around; they are encouragers—so others are drawn to them like a magnet. They’re just more fun to be around.
• Thankful people are more generous and giving: because they appreciate what’s been given to them, they find it easier to share with others; because they recognize they have been blessed beyond what they deserve, they give more freely without judging whether the gift is “deserved”; they understand the verse that says: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt 10:8).

Today you can make a deliberate choice to give God thanks—no matter what you’re going through.

Martin Rinkart was a pastor in Germany more than 400 years ago. He served in the town of Eilenburg during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). The town became overcrowded with refugees from the surrounding area. In those deplorable conditions, the town walls that kept the enemy out could not stop the invastion of disease and famine.
   Then came the year of the Great Pestilence, 1637. At the beginning of the year there were four ministers in Eilenburg. One left for healthier areas; Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals of the other two. As the only pastor left in town, he often conducted services for as many as 40 to 50 persons a day—some 4,480 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services.
   Yet living in a world dominated by death, Pastor Rinkart wrote the following prayer for his children to offer to the Lord:

Now thank we all our God

With hearts and hands and voices;

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom this world rejoices.

Who, from our mother's arms,

Hath led us on our way,

With countless gifts of love,

And still is ours today.

[From: Harry Genet, “The Unlikely Thanker,” Men of Integrity (3-3-00)]