Trite But True: An Attitude of Gratitude

“Son, you better change your attitude!” I heard my parents say this to me more than once while I was growing up. I wasn’t a particularly rebellious kid but was known for sometimes stomping up the stairs to my room when I didn’t get my way.

 

Attitude issues don’t afflict only adolescents and teens. Just go to any store or restaurant and you’ll find lots of different attitudes on display. Some people are smiling and laughing, just getting a kick out of life in general. Some carry chips on their shoulders, daring you to knock them off. Some wear scowls, whether reflective of their tough lives or difficulties they’re presently encountering. Maybe they made the mistake of watching the news to launch their day. Talk about mood killers!

 

The thing about attitudes is that we choose them; they don’t choose us. If you find yourself in a mud puddle covered with mud, you can either stay there all muddled or get out and start cleaning up. It works the same way with attitudes. If we feel an emotional shadow moving upon us, we can stay still waiting for it to envelope us or intentionally move out of the shadow.

 

This is why, trite as it sounds, I try to maintain what some speakers have labeled “an attitude of gratitude.” Perhaps conceived by some poet who didn’t know it, it’s been repeated so much it has turned into a handy cliché. But there’s validity to it.

 

Almost every day, even before I get out of bed, I repeat the verse, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Recognizing God has given us another day of life – which many people didn’t get – and that He’s in the middle of all we’ll be doing, we can choose to rejoice and be glad, no matter what. In short, adopt an attitude of gratitude as we enter the new day with its possibilities and challenges.

 

If there ever was someone who could have justified having a bad attitude, it was the apostle Paul. After his conversion, he zealously set out to serve the Lord and proclaim to others the good news of Jesus Christ. His “reward,” it seemed, was one calamity after another.

 

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 Paul described a litany of episodes that certainly didn’t reflect a life lived in the lap of luxury: “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods…stoned…shipwrecked…in danger…I have known hunger and thirst…cold and naked.” Wow – and you thought you were having a bad day!

 

Would you expect someone who went through all these things to serve as Exhibit A for having an attitude of gratitude? And yet this was the same man who exhorted Christ followers in the ancient city of Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). 

 

Paul wasn’t singling out the folks in Philippi. He also unequivocally admonished believers in another Greek city, Thessalonica, “Be joyful always…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

 

Without question, we can find many reasons for doing just the opposite. We don’t have to look hard. Unfulfilled goals and unrealized dreams. Personal sorrows. Unmet expectations. Not to mention the current state of social unrest, troubled economy, political grandstanding, and a seemingly endless progression of downers that describe life in the 21^st century. Nevertheless, reading the Scriptures we find no exceptions, no exclusion clauses.

 

Instead, we’re to do as 2 Corinthians 4:18 commands: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

In the world around us the mantra might seem to be, “If you can’t say something bad…don’t say anything at all.” But as disciples of Christ, we’re offered the alternative: "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). 

We’re to look up – and forward – to a glorious future in eternity rather than becoming consumed by dismal elements of the present. If we do that, we can feel and exhibit a genuine attitude of gratitude, no faking required. 

Wailing Voices and Joyful Noises

For the last several weeks, my wife and I have been “serenaded” by someone in a neighborhood next to ours who sits on his back patio, strumming his guitar and singing – actually, kind of wailing – old folk songs. I’ve never met the fellow, but he sounds like some of the outtakes that are featured as each season of “American Idol” begins.

 

I do have to give him credit. Even though he’s never going challenge the likes of Josh Groban, Kenny Chesney or Michael Buble, he’s obviously giving his all. He’s putting his heart into it, even though his vocal range leaves something to be desired.

 

Which reminds me of an admonition from the Scriptures. Psalm 100:1 says we’re to, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord,” and if you’ve ever heard me sing – in a church setting, or anywhere else – that’s the best I can do. If I were to audition for the church choir, the director would ask me to sing “far, far away” or solo – actually, so low that no one could hear me. So, “wailing Willie” has nothing on me.

 

But I wonder what God thinks. Other translations of the verse above are to make a “joyful shout.” The key word is not what kind of noise we make, but how it’s done – with joy. Philippians 4:4 admonishes us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” And in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 we’re told, “Be joyful always.” It’s not the quality of the sound, but what’s behind the sound – our joy in Christ – that matters to the Lord.

 

My musical vehicle of choice is playing the drums, a pastime I renewed this year. I was in the percussion section in my high school band, and kept a set of drums into my early adulthood, but then I sold them, leaving me with only the steering wheel on my car to drum on. Finally, something prompted me to invest in an economical set of electronic drums and I’ve had fun pounding on them. My wife doesn’t seem to mind, at least not too much. Especially since I can turn down the sound to minimize the disruption.

Like the guy down the hill who belts out his tunes as best he can, my drumming will never merit my entry into any talent contests. Even for senior citizens. But I enjoy it; it’s a way of relieving some stress in these very stressful times in which we live today. And I suspect the Lord doesn’t mind my “joyful noise” either.

 

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” If God gives us a passion for something, whether it’s writing or drumming or playing tennis or knitting or gardening, and we do it in the name of the Lord Jesus to the best of our ability, I suspect that’s perfectly fine with the Lord.

 

I often think of the scene in the film “Chariots of Fire,” where Eric Liddell’s sister confronts him, questioning why he devotes time training for competing in the Olympics instead of preparing to become a missionary to China.

 

Liddell acknowledges his calling to mission work, before observing, “But God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Are you fortunate enough to have something that, when you do it, you feel God’s pleasure?

Life According to Dodgeball

Remember playing dodgeball in elementary school? If you’re under 30, maybe not. In some places this activity’s been banned because if played with malice, it can become barbaric. During my grade school days, our intentions didn’t involve mayhem.

Sometimes life does seem a bit like playing a non-stop
game of Dodgeball. (Wikipedia image)

If you’re not familiar with dodgeball, or didn’t see “Dodgeball” the movie, the rules are simple: Players divide into two teams, and using a large, inflated rubber ball, compete in a single-elimination contest. The aim is to avoid being struck by the ball, even a glancing blow. If someone from the opposite team hits you with the ball, you’re out. One by one, competitors are eliminated until only a single player is left standing.

Think of it as a variation on music chairs. Except someone wisely realized throwing chairs wasn’t safe, so they substituted a ball. Quick and agile players, especially those that can toss the ball with accuracy and speed, usually prevail.

In some ways, everyday life’s like a game of dodgeball. Lots of things coming at us, many of them totally unexpected. For some, the secret to success is simply to avoid being struck. Unfortunately, that’s like attempting to survive rush-hour in some cities without getting any dents. Nice try.

My more aggressive classmates chose to refer to dodgeball as “bombardment.” Some days that seems an apt description for what life serves us. We’re cruising along, stress level at a minimum, when some emergency arises. Maybe a tire blows on the highway, far from the nearest exit. Our computer crashes at work – making that essential report needed for the meeting in 15 minutes inaccessible. Or frantically preparing for guests coming over for dinner, you leave the special dessert in the oven for too long.

We can think of countless other circumstances that cause us to want to duck and twist and squirm as the “dodgeballs” fly at us with machine-gun speed. It’s not fun being bombarded.

Some followers of Jesus Christ believe we should be insulated from such onslaughts. God loves us, right? Certainly, He wouldn’t want us to have to endure hardships. Right? We’re “children of the King” – that must mean we’re entitled to live in carefree, regal splendor. Right? Spoiler alert: That’s not what it says in my Bible. Or yours.

An interesting verse in the Scriptures finds the apostle Paul declaring, “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” (Philippians 3:10). I’ve been around quite a few people who are all in when it comes to knowing Jesus and experiencing the power of His resurrection. “Yup, I’m good with that!” But they tiptoe around the last part, the “fellowship of sharing in His sufferings” part. As well as the idea of “becoming like Him in His death.” Who wants that?

But as in dodgeball, we’re told in the Bible that suffering, hardship and adversity are inevitable. They’re included in the believer’s job description. Sooner or later, we’re going to get hit. It’s not a matter of “if,” but when – and how.

Think of it this way: If anyone could have succeeded at winning the “dodgeball” of everyday life, it would have been Jesus. Yet the Scriptures tell us, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Joy? Going to the cross?

That’s exactly what it says, and being called to “the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings,” we’re instructed to boldly face life’s onslaughts, not seeking them out, but also not expecting to dodge them all. That’s the application of Paul’s exhortation when he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

Then he teaches, just two verses later, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

This is one of Paul’s recurring themes, since he also writes, “Be joyful always; praying continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

It’s almost like the apostle informing us, “Like it or not, you’ve been recruited to play a game of dodgeball – every day of your life – and sometimes you’re going to get hit. You can grumble and complain if you want, but you’ll find it much better to face the adversities that come your way with joy, and thanksgiving, knowing God is in control. If Jesus was willing to embrace the hardships He had to endure, He’ll help you in dealing with yours as well.” 

Giving Thanks When You Don’t Feel Thankful

Sometimes blessings seem to be overflowing.
 But what about times when they're not?

Thanksgiving means different things to many people: Pilgrims and native Americans sharing a meal; turkeys – living, or roasted and stuffed; family and friends getting together to stuff themselves; traditional football games; Grandma’s favorite recipes; holiday parades; pecan or pumpkin pie. Some people actually see it as a day for truly giving thanks to God for blessings they’ve experienced over the past year.

But what if the day arrives and you don’t feel thankful? You’ve recently lost a dear loved one; confronted seemingly insurmountable financial problems; dealt with serious health issues; faced intense family conflict; lost a job, or just feel like has dealt you a bad hand in general and there’s no re-deal. How can you be thankful for things such as these?

Years ago I helped my friend, Albert, write a booklet about his life titled, “Saying ‘Thank You’ Even When You Don’t Feel Thankful.” Those who know him understand he’s had many reasons for not feeling thankful.

He grew up in the Netherlands during World War II, enduring great poverty and near-starvation. He and his family subsisted on tulip bulbs and occasional sugar beets. One result of malnutrition was contracting tuberculosis and being confined to a bed for more than three years, 2½ of those in a hospital far from his family.

After immigrating to the United States, Albert worked hard and eventually became a successful entrepreneur, but has endured various vocational setbacks and other illnesses, including cancer. He’s got every reason to not be thankful, whether at Thanksgiving or any other time. And yet, he’s perhaps the most joyful, thankful person I know.

Why? He insists there’s only one reason – his relationship with Jesus Christ and confidence that no matter what happens, God is with him every step along the way, providing comfort, strength and whatever else is needed to endure and overcome his adversities.

Albert explains, “God is in control of all things. When you accept Christ, your life is going to be totally changed. One of those changes is that you realize everything is going to be all right, no matter what.

“I have seen God prove this in my life many times,” he says. “I’ve had half of a lung removed because of a faulty biopsy report. One night I was riding in a car on the German Autobahn. Suddenly a car stopped directly in front of us. We struck it going about 95 miles an hour, yet I was able to walk away from the accident. And I’ve had many ups and downs in business.

“God never promises things will be easy when you become a Christian, but He does promise He will take care of you no matter what the circumstances may be.”

For Albert, reflecting on his life’s highs and lows, one passage from the Bible sums up the hope – confident assurance and earnest expectation – that has sustained him during his adult life: “Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Having known Albert for more than 30 years, I know these are not empty words or platitudes, but the heartfelt expression of a man who has walked intimately with God and wouldn’t trade his life with anyone or for anything.

I hope when Thanksgiving Day arrives this Thursday, you’ll find much for which to be thankful. If not, I hope that like my friend, you’ll have the faith to give thanks even if you don’t feel thankful.