Two simple words; one major change

Want to revolutionize your relationship with other people building strong ties? Want to know a deeper, richer walk with the Lord? Want to know a greater serenity?  Now there is a build-up.  I promise you that I have not oversold this concept.  It is amazingly simple, but often ignored.  Here goes – “Be thankful!”   The command is unadorned, without qualification: "No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)

Do you love to gripe and complain? It can be, and often is, a habit that gets worse with age. Little kids seem to know how to be happy with almost nothing.  I spoke to about 30 kids between the ages of 5 and 12 last Sunday night.  We did a little exercise called, “How’s it goin’?”  in which I let them put their initials on a poster near a number.  1 meant “life is awful.”  5 meant “life is great.”  Out of all those kids only 2 rated life below 4.  Take the same number of adults and do the same thing. I guarantee a result that is very different.  The refrain for so many of us is “Life doesn’t suit me.”  Hey, I’m often guilty, too.

Oh that we would realize the high cost of constant complaining. Ingratitude is a thief. It takes away our ability to receive the grace God has given us for this day. It blinds us to the goodness of another. It keeps us miserable even in the middle of seasons of blessings. It blocks us from participating positively in the lives of others.  It is impossible to be full of complaint and to exercise deep faith at the same time.  The people of God were miraculously led out of slavery, guided by the Lord on a journey to the Promised Land.  Exodus tells us that they griped day in and day out.  God fed them with “manna,” a perfect food and were they grateful? No! The ridiculousness of their complaint is obvious to us, but they did not see it. "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NIV)  Are you kidding me? No cost?  You were slaves!  They complained about their leadership, about the difficulties of the task, about dying in the wilderness even though God had promised them life beyond their imagination.  Now, let’s get serious.  Eventually, their ingratitude cost them their lives. When the Lord’s patience was exhausted, He told them their whole generation would die without receiving His promise; and they did!

We need not ignore our problems or our pain. God does not ask us to deny reality.  But He invites us to "Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." (Philippians 4:6, NLT) When we invite Him to enter our lives, to shed the light into the darkness, to make a way where there seems to be no way; when we thank Him for Who He is and accept the grace He has prepared for this day, we will find the rest of that passage true. "If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7, NLT)

Two simple words will change everything. They are “thank you.”  When you are grateful, people will love your company and you will  have more friends. When you are grateful, you will develop eyes to see beyond the trials of this day and gain hope, which will allow you to change. When you are grateful, God can work in you, through you, and around you.  There is a lie that keeps many in slavery to their worries, that robs today’s joy.  What is it?  My happiness lies outside of me, in a different place, a different time, a different set of circumstances.  The truth is that we can live joyfully today, right where we are.

Here’s a word from the Word. Your choice is to accept it and live in it, or to excuse yourself because you would rather complain. "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24, NLT)

So, I choose thankfulness and receive His joy.

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Joyful joyful we adore Thee

God of glory Lord of love

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee

Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness

Drive the dark of doubt away

Giver of immortal gladness

Fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee

Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays

Stars and angels sing around Thee

Center of unbroken praise

Field and forest vale and mountain

Flowery meadow flashing sea

Chanting bird and flowing fountain

Call us to rejoice in Thee

Thou art giving and forgiving

Ever blessing ever blest

Wellspring of the joy of living

Ocean depth of happy rest

Thou our Father Christ our Brother

All who live in love are Thine

Teach us how to love each other

Lift us to the joy divine

Mortals join the mighty chorus

Which the morning stars began

Father love is reigning o'er us

Brother love binds man to man

Ever singing march we onward

Victors in the midst of strife

Joyful music lifts us sunward

In the triumph song of life

Edward Hodges | Henry Van Dyke | Ludwig van Beethoven

Public Domain