An Attitude of Gratitude
It’s that time of year again to get ready for a truly great meal. The turkeys are being thawed out all over the land. The stuffing and mashed potatoes are being peeled, prepared, and prepped. Families will be gathering to enjoy a thanksgiving feast. We are truly blessed to have so many things to be thankful for. So why are so many families going to spend time this thanksgiving arguing with each other about things instead of looking back at the last year and having a thankful heart for all our blessings?
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
We are told to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. There’s a big difference. One day after Paul and Silas had healed a slave girl who had a spirit in her, that predicted the future. They were beaten, flogged, and thrown in prison. They had every reason to be upset. They were mistreated for doing a good thing. But instead of being angry about their situation, they were singing and praying.
Acts 16:25
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
This is what Radical gratitude looks like. Why can we thank God in every circumstance? Because we can trust God no matter what chaos is swirling around us. Often, we are focused only on our brokenness instead of our God who walks with us through all the storms we face.
When you see other people exhibit radical gratitude, like Paul and Silas displayed, how does that affect you? It causes me to be humbled, because I don’t always respond to difficult situations with such radical gratitude. This Thanksgiving, spend some time looking back at how God has walked with you through the challenges of this last year and turn to Him in prayer with a grateful heart for who He is in your life. There really is so much to be thankful for.
Why is it God’s will for us to practice radical gratitude in all circumstances?
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through these verses?
