Gratitude: Practice the Habit

by Marilynn Chadwick

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

I’m learning to become more intentional about being thankful. But sometimes I find myself drifting back into an attitude of discontent. So I find I must regularly renew my resolve to give thanks in everything. To make a thankful heart a permanent habit.

I’m curious. Do you experience God in a fresh way when you practice gratitude? I think we’d agree that giving thanks to God is a discipline we should do every day. In that respect, it’s different from the spiritual discipline of fasting. When a person comes off a fast, they gradually start eating food again. So, should we gradually allow ourselves to become grumpy again? Of course not.

The Bible teaches us that giving thanks is to be a continuous mindset—much like prayer. So it makes sense that right after the Bible teaches us “to pray without ceasing,” it reminds us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

To form any habit, we must become fully persuaded of its value. Here are a few reasons why giving thanks is worth our best effort:

1. Giving thanks to God is a powerful counterattack to discontent. It’s easier to replace grumbling or complaining with thanksgiving than to simply try to “not gripe.”

2. Gratitude feeds our faith. I discovered that thanksgiving can stand up under a fiery trial. Giving thanks seemed to use less energy than praying for a specific end—this can be a good thing when you’re going through a hard place.

3. Giving thanks helps us roll our burdens into God’s hands, which, in turn, calms our anxious heart.

Having a thankful heart makes us more aware of our surroundings and more in tune with God’s blessings. We become more expectant, watching for him to show up. Giving thanks can also make us more sensitive to the needs of others—opening the door to holy conversations—a blessing in themselves.

We don’t have to understand all the reasons why giving thanks is a good thing in order to experience its benefits. Forming a habit of giving thanks can change both our attitude and our actions. We may discover that giving thanks is a form of worship. It connects us to the Lord and places our focus squarely upon him. And when we focus on Jesus, it changes everything.

Gratitude: How Not to Say Thank You

by Marilynn Chadwick

Is it possible to offend God with the way we thank him? Apparently so—if our “thank you” comes from a self-righteous heart. Jesus told this story to a group of religious leaders who were confident in their own “goodness” and scorned everyone else:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-13).

The two men couldn’t have been more different. The Pharisee was well-bred, well-educated, and well-off. He had an impressive religious pedigree. He had arrived. The tax collector, on the other hand, was a loser. To the Jews, he was an object of scorn—a pagan Gentile. A sinner, and easy to despise. He had no social standing, no prestige, and probably not many friends. Then as now—nobody much liked a tax collector.

At first glance, it looks like the Pharisee is thanking God for his many blessings. But a closer look lets us in on the real truth. His “prayer of thanks” was just a way to boast that he wasn't like those "evildoers." He probably spoke loudly enough for the tax collector to hear him. That means his thanks to God was just an announcement of his own righteousness—a reminder to everyone in his hearing that he fasted and tithed.

The Greek translation of this passage sheds even more light on the true nature of this man's prayer: “The Pharisee stood and prayed like this to himself” (Luke 18:11 MOUNCE). To himself. Did you catch that? The Pharisee’s prayer went no further than himself.

But the tax collector was stricken by his own sinfulness. He stood at a distance—not even daring to look to heaven as he uttered, “God have mercy on me, a sinner” (v. 13).

Jesus spelled it out plainly: The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified—righteous before God. His prayers were heard.

A few reminders as we develop a thankful heart: First, true thankfulness is always accompanied by humility. Next, none of our acts of righteousness will ever make us righteous in God’s sight—we all need grace and mercy, just like the tax collector. And finally, the ground at the foot of the cross is level.

Gratitude: Grumbling or Grateful?

by Marilynn Chadwick

"Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits.”

Psalm 103:2 ESV

Thankful. Just one little word was printed in small letters across the front of the woman’s t-shirt. But for some reason, it caught my attention. I think it was the period at the end of what wasn’t even a sentence. Thankful. I guess you could read it this way: “Thankful, period.” I would like that to be me. I’m thankful. Period.

But I have to confess. Sometimes I am less than thankful. Perhaps it’s because I’m not paying attention to all the blessings in my path. Or maybe I sometimes take God’s benefits for granted.

I was jolted out of this spiritual lethargy by something a minister from Africa once said when speaking to a church gathering. He was a genocide survivor from Burundi and had seen more death and destruction than I could comprehend. “Do you have all your arms and legs—your limbs?” he asked us. “Then you are blessed!” “Do you have your eyes, your sense of hearing, your ability to speak?” “Then praise God and give him thanks. Rejoice and count your amazing blessings!” he exclaimed. From his perspective, it was an incredible blessing simply to be alive. Healthy. Not maimed by war. Reasons to rejoice!

Stop and think for a minute. Reflect on the many benefits you enjoy simply because you don’t live in an area ravaged by war. Do you have all your limbs? Can you walk? Are you able to see and hear and talk? Then, as the African minister would say, “Rejoice at your great blessings!”

Our congregation was deeply moved by the man’s words and came alongside his organization to explore ways we could help rebuild their war-torn country. But there was a powerful, personal takeaway for me. His words made me want to become more intentional about being thankful to God each day for my many blessings. To resist complaining about petty annoyances.

Next time we are tempted to grumble, let’s pause and take a look at our hands and feet… and be thankful. Savor the ability to walk and see and hear. Let’s be intentional to count the ways God has poured his grace upon us and “forget not all his benefits.”