“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I received a nice hand-written card the other day that simply said, “thank you” for a ministry event in which I had participated. It was nice to feel appreciated. Not only did the card make me feel valued, but it reminded me of my need to express my gratitude to the people in my life.
The Apostle Paul wrote the two letters of 1 and 2 Thessalonians to a young church that he started with some of his fellow travelers. Their time in Thessalonica was successful in that they were able to share the good news of Jesus and several people were converted to the Christian faith. However, their time was cut short when they were forced to leave town after they stirred up trouble with the local authorities. Paul was disturbed that their presence in this community was not well received and even more concerned that he had so little time to spend with the young Christians that had come to faith under him. This is the backdrop of 1 Thessalonians.
Paul could have spent his time worried and complaining about his treatment and harassment in Thessalonica, but he chose to focus on gratitude. In the conclusion of this letter, Paul encourages the young followers of Christ to, “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
There is no doubt that we all have circumstances in our lives that would justify a bad attitude and some complaining. COVID-19 has changed things in such an extreme way, and I admit I find myself getting grumpy at all the changes that happen daily. The example that the Apostle Paul gives us is to choose gratitude. Our lives are filled with people and things which are worthy of our gratitude. It is so easy to let our eyes and mind focus on the things that are not going our way and especially the things we cannot control. The intentional expression of our gratitude allows us to shift our focus to the things that are good and worthy of our attention.
When was the last time you wrote a note to someone to express your gratitude? When was the last time you called someone just to say thank you? I know that I easily focus on the negative without stopping to just give thanks to God and others for the many good things in my life. Today, I am going to take a moment to intentionally give thanks to some people in my life. I hope that you will take some time and say thank you. Maybe it will be your first time to write a thank you card or call someone just to say thank you, but I promise it will make a positive difference in your life and theirs.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
