Much of the heartache and difficulties that we experience in this world could be averted or lightened if we cultivated the habit of being thankful. Why is it such a struggle to be thankful? Selfishness and pride, also known as sin.
It is selfishness that causes us to believe we “deserve” things in life. “I work hard and I am smart, I deserved the promotion.” “I look good and I am charming, people should be following my example.” It is pride that causes us to believe we can get through one day without God. That we know better than God how to live our lives, and we aren’t in need of God’s mercy daily. “If I can work hard enough to make enough money, why would I need God? Why be thankful?”
When we think we are entitled to everything, or deserve to be recognized, we become discontent with our circumstances. You will begin to think that God has been unfair to you and is not blessing you when you deserve to be blessed and prosperous. However, to live like that – will make your life miserable, bitter, disappointing, and heavy.
It is when we are humble and realize how small we are, how helpless we are, we come to appreciate God more. It is humility that opens our mind and our heart to receive His blessings toward us. If you think that you have everything you need, or that you know what you need – why then would you need God to bless you? Sometimes we’re so full of ourselves, there is no room for God to pour His blessings on us, or, when He does bless us, we fail to recognize it and just assume it was a blessing we produced by our own self-works.
One of the largest factors in why we struggle with being thankful is we simply just don’t trust God. We don’t have enough faith in Him to let Him lead our lives.
Psalm 84:10-11 says, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Wow! The author is so thankful he is even willing to take the lowest place, because he is so thankful to just even be in the presence of God. Why? Because the author trusts that God, as a loving father, doesn’t withhold any good thing.
Just like the sun that freely gives light and sunshine to the earth, anything our Heavenly Father knows would be good for you, He delights in giving it to you. But our Father also seeks to be our “shield” and protect us. If there is something that He has not given to you, it is most likely that it would harm you more than help you. When circumstances do not go our way, or something unexpected happens, it is easy to blame God, because we feel “Surely if He is all-powerful and all-loving, He would do something to protect my happiness.” But if we truly trusted God, we would be thankful regardless of our circumstances because if He doesn’t give us something – He is actually protecting us.
How do we know that we can trust Him? Why should we be thankful regardless of our circumstances and the difficulties of life? Romans 8:32 explains it like this, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
We came into this world with nothing, and when we die – we take nothing with us. We are merely dust. It is because of God’s love that heartbeat follows heartbeat. The only thing we deserve is death, “For the wages of sin is death” and “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” What did you do to deserve to be alive to read this article? Nothing. And yet, you are the very reason He sent His only Son to save you.
Have you ever asked for a blessing more expensive than the life of Jesus? Of course not! On the contrary, many times a lot of the things we ask for in prayer are very cheap compared to the life of God the Son. So if God so willingly gave up the best and most expensive gift that Heaven had, Jesus Christ the righteous, to save you, can you agree there is no good thing He would keep back from you if He knew it was for your good?
Let us then trust God and “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Jessica Trinh
