Changes in Attitude, Changes in Gratitude

Many of us remember the popular song by the late country legend Jimmy Buffett, “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.” Featuring a lilting Caribbean beat, the tune reflects on how traveling to different places can greatly alter one’s perspective. With the annual Thanksgiving Day celebration upon us this week, it might be fitting to revise that a bit to: Changes in Attitude, Changes in Gratitude. 

Because despite all the heartwarming commercials and seasonal movies that depict loving, happy and harmonious families overflowing with gratitude, more than a few people are probably wondering, ‘Thankful for what?’ 

 

The past weeks, months, even year might have been difficult for you. Perhaps prolonged inflation has put a tremendous strain on your finances. Maybe you have lost a loved one, or experienced the devastation of a cherished relationship that’s been broken. Or serious health issues have overshadowed all else, making it hard to feel thankful about anything.

Problems like these, as well as others, can cast a pall on a season that should be festive and joyous. How can we overcome this?

 

At such times I often think of my friend Albert, who with his family has experienced more hardship in life than most of us could imagine. And yet, he’s managed to maintain a positive, upbeat perspective in life. In fact, he wrote a booklet about his life that he titled, “Saying ‘Thank You’ Even When You Don’t Feel Thankful.”

 

This might sound strange to some, but it’s consistent with what the Scriptures teach us. One of the first Bible verses I learned admonishes us to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It doesn’t say to give thanks in some circumstances, or to give thanks when things are going well. It says, “in all circumstances.”

 

Admittedly, this is more easily said than done. But over and over we see examples in the Bible of people going through great trials yet managing to remain thankful. As King David wrote, “If I say ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day and darkness is as light to You” (Psalm 139:11-12).

 

The apostles Paul and James write that we should “rejoice in our sufferings…” (Romans 5:3-5), and “Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…” (James 1:2-4).

 

How is this possible? We could attribute it to changes in attitude, changes in gratitude. Each of these important individuals in the Bible had gone through great adversity but discovered how even in the most difficult times, God was in the midst of them. They understood the truth of Romans 8:28, that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

 

There’s another good reason for choosing thankfulness and gratitude in life, even when those seem contrary to what we’re going through at the time. An article published on Epoch Health, a department of the Epoch Times online newspaper, was titled, “Gratitude: An Alternative Medicine for Anger and Depression.”

 

It discussed a scientific study in 2012 that discovered individuals who cultivated and practiced gratitude experienced lower levels of aggression, even after they had been insulted. By comparison, people in a control group – who did not practice attitudes of gratitude – experienced higher levels of aggression when insulted.

 

This study, that appeared in Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that “those practicing gratitude were significantly less likely to retaliate against others. This correlation is akin to laughter interrupting physical exertion: Just as it is impossible to continue a strenuous workout while laughing, gratitude elicits a psychological state where aggression and anger find little foothold.”

The conclusion was that the impact of gratitude for displacing hostile feelings shows it to be a personal virtue, a useful tool for the fostering of positive social interactions.

 

Another study published in 2005 showed the act of writing thank-you letters increased participants’ happiness by 10 percent – and reduced their depressive symptoms by 35 percent. And apparently this was not a short-term effect. The article says, “These feelings were sustained up to six months after writing the letter, highlighting the powerful effect of [thankfulness].”

 

Moral of the story? If you’re feeling down as the Thanksgiving Day holiday approaches, determine to be thankful anyway. Practice an attitude of gratitude – even if you can’t, as the Jimmy Buffett tune suggests, change your latitude.

 

As Psalm 118:24 declares, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” This is true for Thanksgiving Day, and for every day. If He’s given us a new day, and we believe that He is good – which He is – we can and should rejoice and be glad in it. Happy Thanksgiving!

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. 

Never Too Early to Start Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day is coming, ready or not! Recently deceased turkeys are waiting in refrigerators across the land, while some live turkeys are wiping their brows, hoping they might have gotten a reprieve for another year. Pumpkin pies are baking; cans of yams being snatched off grocery store shelves before supplies run out; Christmas parade floats nearing completion; and football fans already making their own game plans for coordinating festive dinners with their favorite gridiron clashes. 

 

Some people are even thinking seriously about what they will be thankful for this year.

 

Although the annual holiday doesn’t officially arrive until later this week, that doesn’t mean we can’t feel or express gratitude before we gather with friends and family around a table, salivating over the eagerly anticipated feast. It’s always a good time to think about – and practice – the act of being thankful.

In fact, we’re urged to maintain a continual attitude of thankfulness. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we find one of Bible’s direct, yet profound verses: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I like how another translation turns the phrase: “in everything give thanks.”

 

Now some of us might argue, in one respect or another, that it’s hard to be thankful for everything. Perhaps you’ve suffered the loss of a loved one over the past year or experienced serious financial setbacks. Maybe your own health has been a struggle. It could be challenges encountered on the job, or family issues that seem beyond resolution. Are we supposed to be thankful for those things, too?

 

We can find no better example than Job in the Bible’s Old Testament. A wealthy and prominent citizen, he suffered an incredible series of personal tragedies, including the loss of property and livestock, deaths of his children, and severe health maladies. His wife, understandably chagrined by the chain of events, didn’t think her husband should feel thankful. Obviously lacking the spiritual gifts of mercy or encouragement, she didn’t mince words: “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

 

Job’s response, despite grave adversity that seemed unending and beyond explanation, was amazingly simple and humble: “…Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:9-10). Good question!

 

Hopefully, as you read this many positive blessings come to your mind. Despite the continuing flood of negative news, perhaps the past year has been one of your very best. If so, that’s wonderful. However, even in times of hardship, thankfulness is not only possible – it’s also essential. 

 

For one thing, we have the promise of Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” When facing difficulties, we might not always understand the “why” of what’s happened, but we can trust in the Lord’s goodness, love and sovereignty. He wants what’s best for us, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time. 

 

As we read in Jeremiah 29:11, God declares, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And as a Babbie Mason song reminds us, “When you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand…trust His heart.”

 

Even though thanksgiving should be an ongoing habit year-round, I appreciate having an annual reminder built into our calendar. Besides the United States, thanksgiving holidays are observed in countries such as Brazil, Canada, Grenada, St. Lucia, Liberia and the Philippines; similar festival holidays are held in Germany, Japan and other nations.

 

Colossians 3:15-17 gives us a good description of what it might look like to cultivate and express our thankfulness, not only to God directly but also with one another:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 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.”

This year, I hope we can all join in thanksgiving, not only around the dinner table as we pray, but also with uplifting words and songs, expressing gratitude to our Creator and Sustainer, our Savior and Lord, for who He is and all that He does in our lives, even in ways we do not understand. 

Will This Be a Thankfulness-Challenged Thanksgiving Day?

So, what are you most thankful for in 2020, this epic year of the novel coronavirus, aka COVID? Finding it difficult to think of something, perhaps?

 

Aren’t you thankful that for most of this year, whenever you have emerged from the relative security and safety of your home, you had to wear a facemask? Just think of the limitless opportunities for making a facial fashion statement for family, friends, and complete strangers!

 

Millions of parents discovered the delights of virtual learning as their children exchanged classrooms for the family computer. What about the daily challenges of having to juggle schedules and figuring out who would watch the kids when mom or dad had to leave the house? For those who always wondered what it would be like to work from home, now they know. That’s something to be thankful for, right?

Sports fans have had the opportunity to learn new worries, not only whether their teams would win the big game, but also the suspense of whether the big game would even be played at all – or if it would fall victim to COVID. Given thanks for that yet?

 

And what about not having to worry about having to get up Sunday mornings to go to church, because for much of the year that wasn’t a possibility? We found out that online services – even the most high-tech and sophisticated – are a poor substitute for in-person, side-by-side worship. So can we give thanks for that?

 

Okay. All sarcasm aside, it’s been one tough, disruptive year. Life we’d grown accustomed to turned upside-down. Even worse, we’re wondering if it will ever be turned right-side-up again. Many have suffered personal loss, whether it involved loved ones, jobs, financial hardships, or health setbacks. So, with those things in mind, how can we be properly thankful with Thanksgiving Day fast approaching?

 

The Bible gives us the answer. Thankfulness – and thanksgiving – aren’t to be dictated by feelings or our current mood. They’re determined commitments, conscious decisions possible only as we focus on the limitless love and goodness of God. 

 

Being thankful, believers are told, isn’t conditional; it’s not a choice. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we’re told, “give thanks in all circumstances [in everything give thanks] for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It doesn’t say, “unless…” or, “except when….” All means ALL. Everything mean EVERYTHING.

 

Psalm 50:14 tells us both what we’re to do, and why we’re to do it: “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Another translation says, “Sacrifice thank offerings to God…” with the same assurance, “I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” After a year as fraught will challenges and difficulties as this one, that’s one great promise.

 

It's at times like these that we need to cling to Romans 8:28, not as a handy cliché, but with total confidence: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” We may not know why things happen – or how the Lord will use them to accomplish His divine purposes – but that’s the assurance we have from His Word. 

 

Because of that, there’s another passage concerning thanksgiving that we can embrace without reservation: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Then we’re told, if we do this, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

 

There’s no denying that 2020 has been a year to forget in many respects. If for some reason living through a pandemic was on your bucket list, you can definitely check that one off. Nevertheless, we trust in a God who has taken us through tough times before and is more than capable of doing it again. 

For that reason, we can approach this Thanksgiving Day with genuine thankfulness, knowing that one day and in some way, He will have worked through it all “to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Happy Thanksgiving!

Finding a Selfish Reason for Being Thankful

Many of us spend weeks – for some, months – getting ready for the Christmas celebration. Buying trees and ornaments, putting up decorations, planning parties, purchasing gifts. And sometimes it seems as if we still don’t have enough time. What if we were to spend as much time getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving observance?

I’m not referring to assembling all the ingredients for the meal, including turkey or ham (or both), yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, etc. No, I mean getting into the true spirit of Thanksgiving – preparing to be genuinely thankful. So I’m dedicating a few posts, including on the holiday itself, to consider how we could best do that. First, a bit of motivation.

Tony, one of the pastors at our church, introduced a series he called “21 Days of Thankfulness” by citing a secular study by Dr. Robert A. Emmons, a psychologist and professor at the University of California-Davis. Described as “the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude,” Emmons has written a number of books about what science has learned about being thankful, including, Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. 

Turns out, according to his research, “We discovered scientific proof that when people regularly engage in a systematic cultivation of gratitude, they experience a variety of measurable benefits: psychological, physical, and interpersonal.” 

Among those benefits are greater happiness; lasting relationships; better health; fewer aches and pains; more alertness and determination; decreased stress, anxiety and depression, and better sleep. Who knew there’s actually a selfish reason for being thankful?

Once again, it seems, science is affirming what the Bible has been saying all along. We’re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Another translation puts it this way: “in everything give thanks.”

When we read that, however, some among us might be tempted to argue, “Yeah, but you don’t know my circumstances!” But Philippians 4:6-7 provides this response: “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.” Could it be that a key to this promise is found in the simple phrase, “with thanksgiving”?

Living in a materialistic society, where the virtues of consumerism are exalted – and exploited – we’re bombarded by messages that give us every reason not to be thankful. Whether it’s a car, smartphone, TV, the latest high-tech gizmos or clothing, commercials, print advertising and even news reports tell us we’ll be woefully unfulfilled if we don’t have the latest and greatest. We watch romance movies with idyllic couples that can make us wonder, “Why isn’t my relationship like that?”

The Scriptures, however, offer the antidote for such poisonous wishful thinking. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). In other words, we should learn to feel thankful for what we have.

Getting back to Dr. Emmons, his findings support biblical teachings that warn us against the pitfalls of being greedy, covetous and envious. He stated, “Our groundbreaking research has shown that grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions, such as joy, enthusiasm, love, happiness and optimism, and that practice of gratitude as a discipline protect a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness.”

So as we gear up for Thanksgiving Day, besides planning and preparing the meal, deciding which football games to watch, and whether we’re going to see the new holiday movie that’s just come out, maybe we should try warming up our “thanksgivers.” It would be good for us!

Being Thankful – Even When You’re Not

Since this blog post is appearing on Thanksgiving Day, I hope you’re reading it with a tummy filled with turkey, dressing “and all the trimmings.” What exactly are “all the trimmings”? Last time I checked, we don’t put Christmas ornaments on our turkeys, mashed potatoes, green bean casseroles, or pumpkin pies. And gorging on the holiday feast certainly doesn’t lend itself to “trimness.” So what’s up with all the trimmings?

Anyway, I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and trust you have already done so, or soon will take time to reflect on your reasons for being thankful. 

For many people, there’s lots for which to feel and express thanks. A good job, strong and growing family, enough money in the bank to pay all the bills (that could change in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day), personal health, and a place to call home. Unfortunately, for more than a few folks, some of those reasons for thankfulness are missing.

Over the past year I’ve learned of several friends confronting grim cancer diagnoses, or dealing with other serious health challenges. Unemployment, we’re told, is the lowest it’s been in years, but there still are those out of work – or unable to work due to some disability. Almost everyone faces family issues at one time or another; some are quickly resolved, others aren’t. Even during a strong economy, which many experts say we’ve been experiencing of late, financial help practitioners and bankruptcy attorneys aren’t agonizing over how to keep busy.

So if you’re among those feeling abundantly blessed and exceedingly thankful, good for you. But if your situation is very different from that, if you want to give thanks but don’t feel thankful, how do you respond?

The Scriptures offer help, since thankfulness is one of its central themes. In fact, one of the first Bible verses I learned – a very short one – speaks to it directly. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we’re told to, “give thanks in all circumstances,” adding why we should do so: “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I understand. Saying to be thankful “because God says so” isn’t particularly helpful. Unless we tie our thanksgiving not only to what He has done, but also what we trust He’s going to do. In times of trouble and stress, I’m often reminded of Philippians 4:6-7, which urges, “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.”

So when we’re praying, asking the Lord for direction, provision, intervention, or simply peace and hope in the midst of the turmoil we may be facing, we’re to begin giving thanks even then. Kind of like making a down payment on something we expect to acquire at a future time.

Ultimately, that’s what faith is all about. As Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” At the end of the same chapter, after citing numerous examples of people who maintained strong faith despite overwhelming circumstances, it states, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

I close with this biblical admonition which precedes the command to give thanks in every circumstance: “Always be joyful; pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). If today’s a day when you couldn’t feel more blessed, rejoice and pray. If, however, today’s a day when we’re still anxiously waiting for God to “show up,” we should do the same – rejoice and pray. 

And give thanks. If not for present trials, then for the promise that He is faithful. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:4-5). 

Time to Give Thanks – Again?

What are you thankful for? Wait – why am I asking this now? Yes, Thanksgiving Day is still more than eight months away (thank goodness!) But if we take the admonition from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 seriously, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” that also implies we’re to give thanks all the time.

It’s good to have a national, annual observance dedicated for giving thanks, but what’s wrong with feeling and expressing thanks for things today, tomorrow, and next week?

It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving Day
to feel and express thankfulness.

Assuming you’re not in disagreement with me, what are you thankful for? We have the easy stuff that comes immediately to mind – our families, jobs (if we have one), health (if we have that), material possessions, freedoms we enjoy. But how about scratching a bit below the obvious?

As I’m writing this, the garbage truck just came by to haul away our trash. So, I’m thankful for the garbage men, even though I don’t know their names. I’m thankful too for the cashier and grocery clerk who checked out my groceries, put them in sacks – and took my money to pay for it.

I’m thankful for the power company workers who, even in the midst of severe storms, jump into bucket trucks or climb poles to restore electricity to my home when it’s lost. I’m thankful for law enforcement officers who daily engage in one of life’s most hazardous professions, knowing that if I ever need them, they’re ready to respond. I’m also thankful for EMTs and paramedics, nurses, physicians and surgeons who also are poised to respond whenever any of us would require urgent medical attention.

We rarely think about the thousands of military personnel who serve many miles away in areas where they’re constantly in harm’s way. But I’m thankful for them, knowing they’re underpaid, underappreciated, and when they return home, too easily ignored or forgotten.

I try to remind myself to be thankful for dedicated teachers who strive hard to teach young people who come from homes where they’re not taught discipline, or seem surgically attached to their smart phones, and show little interest in learning. For men and women who respond to God’s call to enter mission fields, not only in distant lands immersed in unfamiliar languages and cultures, but also in impoverished, crime-infested areas right here in the United States. And for those public servants whose desire is to genuinely serve those who have elected them, not the power brokers that curry their favor.

I’m also thankful for sunrises and sunsets, especially the brilliantly hued ones that seem created directly from God’s heavenly palette; the beauties of His creation in its infinite array; the giggle of an infant, the first steps of a toddler, and the satisfied smile of a child who’s just learned something new.

It would be easy to say we’re thankful for the wonderful advances of technology, and no doubt we are. But too often we overlook being thankful for things we easily take for granted, like the enticing aromas of bacon and coffee at breakfast time, the timely phone call from a friend, and the Bible.

No doubt you can think of much more for which to feel thankful. Whatever those things are, isn’t today – even right now – a good time for doing what Psalm 100:4 urges us to do? “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name.” 

After all, as we’re reminded elsewhere, “This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). And be thankful.

Be a Thermostat for Thanksgiving

When it comes to the temperature of a room, we commonly use two devices. One is a thermometer, telling us what the temperature is. The other’s the thermostat, which controls what we desire the temperature to be. Similarly, for our everyday lives, we can choose to be one or the other.

We see lots of people acting like thermometers, reflecting the “temperature” around them, whether it’s beliefs, attitudes, or social behavior. Like walking into an extremely warm room, or the frigid outdoors, they soon become just like the environment surrounding them. But other people function more like thermostats, being influencers of their environments rather than becoming “influenc-ees.”

This is important as we approach another Thanksgiving Day. Later this week, many of us will gather with family and friends for a lavish meal. Turkey or ham may be the featured attraction, accompanied by mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, various casseroles, bread and rolls, followed by pumpkin or pecan pie. The menu varies from home to home, but surrounded by such abundance, it’s easy to feel thankful in the moment. Prayers around the table before we dig in confirm that.

Are you a thermometer - or a thermostat?

But what about the weeks leading up to the holiday? Or the days after? How thankful are we then? This is where we can choose our role – thermometer, or thermostat.

We can all think of reasons for not feeling thankful, some of us more than others. It could be a chronic, or even terminal, illness we or a loved one may be facing. Financial pressures might seem unrelenting. Personal conflicts may be resistant to resolution. You can add to the list from your own situation. The onslaught of negative news nationally and internationally tends to reduce the “thankfulness quotient.” Nevertheless, the Scriptures give us these challenging words: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

This verse doesn’t tell us to be thankful in some circumstances, or even most of them. We’re told to give thanks in all circumstances. As a friend of mine often says, when the Bible says “all,” it means ALL. Even if we find there’s too much month left at the end of our pay, we’re to be thankful. Even when the physician gives us a diagnosis we don’t like, we’re to give thanks. Even when we’ve been wronged, and it appears there’s been no justice against the wrongdoer, God wants us to have an attitude of thanksgiving anyway.

Thousands of years ago, King Solomon recorded his quest for happiness and ultimate gratification. His findings are recorded in the Old Testament book we call Ecclesiastes. Much of what he concluded is pretty dismal: “Meaningless! Meaningless!… Utter meaninglessness! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) is how he starts off, repeating it often over the succeeding chapters.

He doesn’t sound very thankful, does he? Solomon was called the wisest man of all time, possessing more wealth than anyone could imagine. If he couldn’t find reason to give thanks in all circumstances, how can we be expected to do so?

But not everything the king wrote was discouraging. His pursuit of pleasure and prosperity did give him much-needed perspective. Because he also realized, “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

At the end of his writings, Solomon added this summary: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). He seemed to be saying that if we keep the Lord foremost in our lives and our thoughts, He will give us more than we need for living a thankful life.

And in the New Testament, we discover an even greater “gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8-9 assures all who trust in Him, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Salvation, forgiveness for our sins, reconciliation with God – and the faith to believe we have all this – are more than enough cause for giving thanks, not only on Thanksgiving Day but also every day, regardless of our current circumstances.

As we express and live out our thanksgiving despite the situations in which we must live, we can serve as “thermostats” for those around us, creating an environment of thankfulness for others to experience.

Coping With Crisis – and Crises

With the arrival of Thanksgiving Day, we’re officially in the midst of the holiday season. Time for fun, frivolity, family and friends, we’re told. But what if this time of the year only magnifies feelings of frustration, failure, and even fear? When it seems you have little reason for giving thanks?

Recently I heard a description of the human condition: It seems there are three kinds of people – those who are in crisis, those who have just gotten out of a crisis, and those who are about to get into a crisis (whether they know it or not).

There’s good reason the term “crisis mode” is so widely used. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, and we’re about to proclaim, “life just can’t get any better than this!” some not-quickly-resolved dilemma decides to pop up, placing unavoidable bumps and ruts in the road.

Suddenly, rather than reveling in the ease of living, we’re more apt to agree with Mr. Murphy, whose law insists, “If anything can go wrong, it will.” If this describes your frame of mind right now, when the prevailing holiday mood of “happy, happy, happy” seems to have escaped you, take heart. You’re not alone.

This is why apostles Paul and James felt led to write we’re to “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4), and “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

In the midst of the struggle, particularly in a season when we’re supposed to feel overflowing happiness, it’s not easy to “rejoice” or “consider it pure joy.” Not quite the words that come to our minds. But if we trust in God and His revealed Word, we’re assured this is exactly what we should do – and can do.

But again, we’re not alone. We’re not the only ones suffering pain inwardly, even if, like us, they force their faces to display happy smiles. And we shouldn’t have to endure our trials and hurts alone, either. We can turn to others for comfort, and thank God as we’re doing it. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:2-4).

Sometimes, in the midst of our own adversity, the best remedy is offering comfort to someone else. It can take our minds off our own troubles. We might discover our difficulties aren’t as bad as we thought. And we may find that giving comfort to another is the greatest Christmas gift we could give, one that gives both ways.

Lastly, and most important, we can turn to Jesus. We’re told, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Having taken on human flesh, enduring all of life’s challenges, He can say, without hesitation, “Child, I understand. I truly do.”

So if Thanksgiving for you is just the beginning of weeks of festive celebration, enjoy it! But if, like many others, the happiness of this season only serves to heighten your personal pain, look to the Lord with hope and confidence, knowing He is using this time in your life – no matter how hard – for your and His ultimate good and purpose.

Believing God is in control, and trusting that He genuinely has your best interests at heart, you then can do as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 exhorts us to do: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”