Gratitude with a Twist
By Joy Cofield
How can I say anything different about gratitude and the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday season that has not already been said for hundreds of years? It seems we may take this time of year and this emotion of gratitude for granted. Is it really possible to do what Paul mentioned in Scripture in 1 Thess. 5:18? “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And again, he states this in Ephesians: 5:20: “And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)
I don’t know about you but, frankly, there are times when I just don’t feel like being grateful “in all circumstances.” Losing a loved one, losing a job, losing a good way of life, losing a “normal” way of life that has been brought to all of us in some shape or form during the Covid -19 pandemic could definitely give us all cause to become apathetic about being thankful. So much has been lost. Yet, when something has ended or someone has passed away, as we are grieving this loss something new can begin or be birthed within us. Having a grateful heart is sometimes a sacrifice as we all know. Psalm 50:23 “...giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.”
I remember once many years ago, I was attending a pastor’s wives’ retreat. There were about 5 of us “bunking” in one room. About 10 minutes after the lights had been turned out, I heard one of my roommates speak out loud with a sigh as she said, “Thank you, Jesus.” As we awakened the next morning, once again I heard, the same voice speaking “Thank you, Jesus.”
Something so simple, this ‘breath prayer” of thanksgiving, that I heard at the end and the beginning of the day so impacted me that I have been prompted by her example to do this myself. I cannot remember her name, or the story that she shared of her life that week-end, yet, I remember her prayer of giving thanks.
As we take reflection on our lives of this past year of what we have lived, let us be thankful daily for the ever-present presence of Jesus Christ with us through His Holy Spirit. Let us be mindful of the power of His presence in us as we walk through the pain of life. The purpose Christ has given us each to “give thanks in all things” reminds me that this is an act of love toward Him, toward others and toward myself as well. To have an attitude of not being grateful will definitely impact our bodies, our minds, and our souls. We hold all these emotions in our bodies which impact our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. And so also, having a spirit of gratitude will move us to better health in all of these areas.
We can choose to be grateful or to be greedy. There are stories that we’ve all heard and/or lived where the spirit of gratitude was no where to be seen. Sometimes pain and suffering is just too much to bear. With the help of the Holy Spirit within us, He empowers us to put on the “garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness”.
A song I would like to share with you all that has been a wonderful blessing to me for many years is: “Garments of Praise” by Robin Mark. Please listen to the link below.
Christ is working in us no matter what the circumstances. He is the one who gives us strength and courage to give thanks when it is a sacrifice…..and so I submit this to us all….Thanks be to God.
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