Thanksgiving in Tough Times
Keeping Gratitude in Perspective in Worship and Daily Living
Jan 16, 2009
Paul reminds the reader to be grateful in his letter to the Philippians (Phil 4:6). Thanksgiving has become an essential part of Christian worship. The good news is that there does not seem to be much evidence of eternal damnation looming if thanksgiving simply isn’t on your calendar today. But this time-honored method of recognizing the Divine deserves some attention. There are legitimate reasons to be grateful.
Thinking about Thankfulness
Being truly thankful requires one to call upon the skills of thinking and reflection. It’s challenging—if not impossible—to express genuine gratitude without reflecting upon what stirs one to be grateful in the first place. It only makes sense that Mrs. Jones is grateful to Mrs. Smith for watching her children while Mrs. Jones runs errands. It is prudent.
For some, thanksgiving is a daily process of emptying self. Mother Teresa made it a ritual: “Every day at communion time, I communicate two of my feelings to Jesus. One is gratefulness, because he has helped me to persevere until today. The other is a request: teach me to pray.” [1]
Gratitude while Moving Forward
Some persons claim they never get bitter. God bless them. But for the many that understandably do, it may be helpful to recall that this emotion is quite common and is not necessarily indicative of depression or a depraved heart. When times are tough and one is left wondering why the incompetent in the next cubicle was promoted, it may be helpful to remember that one's response may guide one's journey for the foreseeable future.
Dr. Gerald Mann used to speak of being “grateful or hateful” in matters of the spirit: “If we cannot see that everything we’ve had was really a gift on loan and be grateful for the loan of it, we shall remain bitter.” [2] Those words may do nothing to release frustration regarding this annoying incident, but it can permit the opportunity to focus and facilitate forward movement.
An Element of Worship
The inference here is that humans are spiritual beings at heart. The act of thanksgiving is a reminder of who a person is and where he or she came from. The expression of gratitude during difficult days is a measure of that person’s character and belief. Prayer is the pathway that expresses thanksgiving. As Dallas Willard has observed, “Prayer in the manner of Jesus will have incredible results, and thanksgiving will be a constant theme just because that is the reality of our relationship to God.” [3]
Thanksgiving and Daily Living
Offering thanksgiving when the ride is bumpy can be a chore at best. Jesus seemed to indicate that the road would be difficult for those who follow Him. Disappointments and annoyances have their way of blocking creativity—the kind of creativity that can spark when one brings one's true self to God in prayer.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of plain, uncomplicated language that’s needed: “Thank you for the ordinary stuff—walking around, sleeping, eating, drinking—you’ve given us. We know these gifts are from you. And to show our appreciation, we want to give them back to you.” [4]
Whatever it is that works, use it well—and be thankful.
Sources:
1. Gonzalez-Balado, Jose Luis. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words. New York, Random House, 1996.
2. Mann, Gerald. When The Bad Times Are Over for Good. New York, McCracken Press, 1992.
3. Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy. San Francisco, HarperCollins, 1998.
4. Case, Steven L. The Book of Uncommon Prayer. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2002.
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