GIVE THANKS

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Out West, a cowboy was driving down a dirt road, his dog riding in back of the pickup truck, his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident. Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came on the scene. An animal lover, he saw the horse first. Realizing the serious nature of its injuries, he drew his service revolver and put the animal out of his misery. He walked around the accident and found the dog, also hurt critically. He couldn’t bear to hear it whine in pain, so he ended the dog’s suffering as well. Finally he located the cowboy --who suffered multiple fractures--off in the weeds. "Hey, are you okay?" the cop asked. The cowboy took one look at the smoking revolver in the trooper’s hand and quickly replied, "Never felt better!"

Many people lose out on the glory and power of God in their lives because they have an attitude problem. They do not know how to handle adversity without complaining. A negative attitude can steal your joy and rob you of your blessings.

One of the greatest privileges of being a Christian is to have the capacity to give thanks regardless of what happens. It is easy to be thankful when things are going our way, but a Christian can rise above any situation to thank God for causing all things work together for good. Paul, the apostle, was a man who suffered a great deal of pain and yet he wrote that we ought to give thanks in everything.

How did Paul do it? He put his emotional, mental and spiritual focus on the good things He had in Christ. It would have been easy for Paul to feel sorry for himself. The Jews sought to put Paul to death. The Romans hunted him like a dog and imprisoned him with chains. Even his best friends deserted him, yet he gave thanks for every situation because He knew God is in control of whatever might happen to him. Paul wrote, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21) He died to his own selfish interests. The great apostle wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20) He knew that many of his former pleasures were actually self-destructive vices. Paul saw every problem as an opportunity to advance God’s kingdom and righteousness. Paul wrote, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.""(Phil. 3:10).

God does not want more grumps but grateful people to give Him greater glory, honor and delight. God multiplies thankful people. Jeremiah wrote, "From them shall proceed the voice of thanksgiving and the sound of those who make merry and I will multiply them and they not will be diminished." (Jer 30:19) Let it be our mission every day to show the thankfulness that Paul encouraged.