By: Erlinda Mejia Olson
PHILIPPIANS 2:13-15 ~ “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
In the movie, “Meet My Mom”, the ten-year old Jared was feeling melancholic that he and his mom had to move to California to live with his grandma—hoping to make a better life after his dad and mom got divorced. As his mother tucked him in for bed, Jared was busy whining about: not liking the color of his room ... missing his friends and school back home ... his dad's ignoring him ... asking his mom why her and his dad are separated ...” Thankfully, the wise mom was able to shed good thoughts into Jared’s young mind by stating reasons to be thankful. To paraphrase, she said to him, “Jared, there are lots of reasons to be thankful for—you may not like the color of your room but at least we have a place to come to … your grandma provided us a roof over our head … I got a new job … being in a new community gives us an opportunity to meet new friends and learn something new … what happened to your dad and I, was something beyond my control …” “No matter what we have to be thankful for what we have.” “We have each other”, she added.
PHILIPPIANS 2:13-15 ~ “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
In the movie, “Meet My Mom”, the ten-year old Jared was feeling melancholic that he and his mom had to move to California to live with his grandma—hoping to make a better life after his dad and mom got divorced. As his mother tucked him in for bed, Jared was busy whining about: not liking the color of his room ... missing his friends and school back home ... his dad's ignoring him ... asking his mom why her and his dad are separated ...” Thankfully, the wise mom was able to shed good thoughts into Jared’s young mind by stating reasons to be thankful. To paraphrase, she said to him, “Jared, there are lots of reasons to be thankful for—you may not like the color of your room but at least we have a place to come to … your grandma provided us a roof over our head … I got a new job … being in a new community gives us an opportunity to meet new friends and learn something new … what happened to your dad and I, was something beyond my control …” “No matter what we have to be thankful for what we have.” “We have each other”, she added.
We all have Jared in us. We like to whine. We find it easy to complain and “knit-pick” in our circumstances instead of patiently accepting them and be thankful.
Thankfulness is contingent upon what’s in our heart—not what’s in our hand or wallet or bank account. There are endless ways we can thank the Lord. While complaining is not an option. The fact that He allows us to see the dawning of a new day, is indeed, a good way to start and thank Him for it. We often look at our circumstances and have no qualms finding things to grumble about: long hours at work, pay is small, traffic is slow, long line at the check-out counter, gas is too expensive, the weather is bad, prices are too high, etc. So a mile long list of complaints, but no list of thanks. While in that every single circumstance, we also have a lot to be thankful for: we have a job, a roof over our head, have a car, we can drive, we have enough money to meet our basic needs, we have freedom (of speech, religion, etc); not to forget those who don’t have.
Our circumstances may not be all that sweet, but wherever we are it's God's will that we give thanks in everything in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what our circumstances are, we can always thank God for deliverance through Christ. He conquered our sins by His death on the cross, rose from the dead, and lives (Hebrews 12:2; Mark 9:9; 2 Timothy 2:7-9; Romans 7:24-25; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Hebrews 7:24-26).
Not a single Scripture in the Bible talks of the Lord Jesus complaining, He did the opposite instead. Knowing who He is, gives Him the right to complain the most but then He did not. Therefore, who are we to whine.
Certainly, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was of utmost significant—that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: “They are also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and likewise in the evening.” (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were commanded to be thankful regardless of what transpired that day.
Our circumstances may not be all that sweet, but wherever we are it's God's will that we give thanks in everything in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what our circumstances are, we can always thank God for deliverance through Christ. He conquered our sins by His death on the cross, rose from the dead, and lives (Hebrews 12:2; Mark 9:9; 2 Timothy 2:7-9; Romans 7:24-25; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Hebrews 7:24-26).
Not a single Scripture in the Bible talks of the Lord Jesus complaining, He did the opposite instead. Knowing who He is, gives Him the right to complain the most but then He did not. Therefore, who are we to whine.
Certainly, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was of utmost significant—that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: “They are also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and likewise in the evening.” (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were commanded to be thankful regardless of what transpired that day.
So, the psalmist inscribed: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4). Discern that we are instructed to enter God’s gates with a heart of thankfulness and praise His name. We cannot enter into His gates in the absence of thankfulness, with whining, grumbling, or murmuring. That’s how important it is to worship the Lord with a thankful heart. Not that we give thanks to the Lord only for those favorable situations but also for those which are not. Being thankful not for men's applause or for the inheritance that awaits for those who serve God but to the greater glory of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24)
Having a thankful heart is not innate in us, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NKJV). Thus, to live—giving thanks to God the Father for everything is achievable because we can do it in the strength of Christ (Philippians 4:13). Because—God says so.
“Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) … “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17) … “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:20).
Be thankful always!
