Thankfulness, no matter what
Often on Thanksgiving, we are thankful for the obvious blessings of life. Not only on Thanksgiving, but usually when we think of what to be thankful for we think of things that appear to be good rather than fostering an attitude of thankfulness, no matter what.
You may have heard the old Chinese story about an old man whose manner of life was entirely different when it came to looking at things. This woodcutter had only one horse, and one day his horse ran away. So all his neighbors came to him and began to sympathize with him and tell him how sorry they were. They lamented the lost horse and the bad luck. But the old man looked at them and said, “How do you know it’s bad luck?”
Two days later the horse came back, and with him came two wild horses. So now he had three horses instead of the one. This time his neighbors came over and congratulated him for his good fortune. But again, his answer surprised them. He said, “How do you know it’s good fortune?”
The next day while attempting to break one of those wild horses his son was thrown off and injured badly with a broken leg. Once again his neighbors came, this time to console him and tell him how sorry they were to learn of his son’s bad luck. “How do you know it’s bad luck?” the old man answered.
By now his neighbors had concluded that this guy was totally different, so they left. But the next day a Chinese warlord came through town and conscripted the able younger men and took them off to war. But the old man’s son couldn’t go because he had a broken leg.
I think the old legend has a worthwhile message for us today. We can learn from the man’s philosophy and live more serene lives if we wouldn’t be so quick to pass judgment on daily events as they happen.
Life is unpredictable; the joys of today do not guarantee that tears won’t be shed tomorrow. In this life we all get the good, the bad and the ugly. For many of us there seems to be more bad than good, and too often we are the cause of our suffering due to our poor choices.
But most of our daily aggravation is the result of living in this world of sin. And we could spend precious spiritual calories being frustrated or complaining, getting depressed or embittered, striking back in anger at the person who caused it, or even questioning God for allowing it to happen.
But there’s another way: we can thank God. Thank Him because the experience makes us more understanding and compassionate for the sufferings of others (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4). Thank Him because we’re reminded of the terribleness of sin, how the innocent have to suffer, developing in us a greater appreciation for God’s ultimate plan to eliminate sin and make everything right again.
Somehow through our suffering an identity is made with our suffering Messiah who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:3; Philippians 3:10). And we hear the words of Jesus, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
To one who suffers, the promises of heaven and the new earth “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13) are no longer mere theological abstracts, they become “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). It’s no wonder that Paul could say, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (2 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Thankfulness is an offspring of faith. This kind of gratitude springs from the heart that realizes we could never thank Him enough. A heart that exclaims in admiration, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15) For because of Him, even “death has no sting, and the grave has no victory!” “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ,” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57) so we can, indeed, in everything give thanks and fulfill the will of Him who has given all for us.
The Thanksgiving holiday reminds us that we should be thankful. This special time causes most Americans to pause in their busy year and celebrate the abundance in this land of the free. But for the child of God, thankfulness is not a once-a-year celebration, but an every day expression for what He is doing in our lives to bring good to us.
Alvaro Sauza is pastor at Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church. He can be reached at alvarosauza@gmail.com.