Do you struggle to feel thankful? Start wrapping your mouth around words of thankfulness and praise, and pray for the Holy Spirit to break into your heart. Once you start praising him for things, you won’t be able to stop!
If you’re not thankful in tough times, here’s how you can change that.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and as I approach over five decades in this wheelchair? Man, am I thankful. Now, the world, even many Christians, would say that’s strange! But it’s true. And for most of the years I’ve been paralyzed? Gratitude has been a recurring theme in my heart. Nothing feels more freeing, more liberating, nothing feels happier than having a grateful heart. But it took a long time and a little work. Because when I was first injured, I did not “feel” thankful. Looking down at my paralyzed body, I thought it would be hypocritical to give thanks. And in a way, it would have been deceitful had I given thanks only to impress God or to put up a front before others. But I had to start somewhere, and I was tired of being depressed and feeling sorry for myself. I wanted to move forward with my life.
So I decided to take 1 Thessalonians 5:18 at face value. “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” You know, there aren’t many places where the Bible is that direct about his will for your life, but if you want to know where to start, give thanks in everything, for “this is the will of God concerning you.” Well, even though my heart wasn’t in it, I had to stop being just a hearer of God’s word. I had to actually do it. And so, I began loosening my tongue and wrapping my mouth around words of thanks, hoping that somehow, someway God would be merciful and fill my heart with the emotion of true thanks. And I said it, I said, “God, I give thanks that my family is patient with me… I give thanks that I can at least sit up in a wheelchair and not have to lie in bed… I give thanks that my friends still want to hang out with me… I give thanks that you are giving me the strength to actually do this!” Now, I was not hiding the hardness of an unthankful spirit; all I was doing was desperately hoping for the in-breaking of the Holy Spirit! And over time, sure enough, the Holy Spirit made a breakthrough in my heart. A spirit of gratitude began to well up within me.
This was quite something, to honestly feel thankful! And it made me wonder, why? How is it that I am experiencing this satisfying, fulfilling emotion? I mean, I'm still in a wheelchair; nothing’s changed. But strangely enough, being thankful has made me feel happy. And the more I gave thanks, the more thankful I felt, and – oh, my goodness – the happier I became. And that is when it hit me. Giving thanks is a way of glorifying God – after all, he is the one giving those true emotions. So, when God calls us to give thanks, it’s not just for our own well-being – he's calling us to rejoice in him. He’s the one giving fulfillment, contentment, satisfaction, and even joy. And that’s what brings glory to the Lord. Once you realize this, you just can’t stop thanking him for all kinds of stuff, and thanking him for who he is, too. Which, in turn, begets more joy and more glory to God. And now, I love to thank God. Thanking him leads to seeing more of him and seeing more of him is my greatest joy. And I want that to be your joy, too. So, heed the command of 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Give thanks. And keep giving thanks to God. Over time he will reward you with the emotion of thankfulness. Which in turn will give him glory, which then, will multiply your joy. So choose gratitude, friend. It’s your message of hope today in your every hardship.
© Joni and Friends