“Give thanks
in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –I Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving
is easy in those circumstances that meet our needs, or when people live up to
standards we place upon them. The disciple of Jesus, however, is to have
gratitude in ALL circumstances.
We gather
each Sunday to sing songs making melody to the Lord with our heart (Ephesians5:20), yet these songs are filled with our thanksgiving to God (Ephesians5:21). Much like Psalm 69:30, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I
will magnify Him with thanksgiving!” Our
grateful songs are to be a shared thanksgiving in all circumstances together.
What about
those times our hearts feel low, or we just don’t feel joyful enough? We are
tempted to use that to not attend Sunday services or, worse, to go and injure
the church with our flaming tongues (James 3:6, 4:1). The temptation keeps us
from God’s mercy, the very thing we need most.
Grief and
trouble comes in this life, and these things weigh heavy upon our hearts. I
think the hymn writer Robert Robinson says it right, “tune my heart to sing Thy
grace.” The prayer of a child to the Father, “Lord, my troubled heart feels low
and troubled. Tune my heart to sing with the saints with a thankful heart.” We
must be reminded of His rich mercy and goodness. We must hear the gospel. When
we hear of the joys we wait for together, we rejoice with thanksgiving
together.
Grumbling
never builds up the church or encourages the faith; but thanksgiving in all
circumstances magnifies the Lord. We can rejoice in God’s goodness, or we can
complain about what did not meet our standards; either people or things. Paul
told the church in Philippi whom he called “my joy and my crown” that he had
learned to be satisfied in all circumstances (Philippians 4:10-13). If I am
fully satisfied in Christ alone, I can rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians4:4) and let my thanksgiving and requests be made known to God (Philippians4:6).
When heavy
hearts grumble or grieve, let us encourage joyful thanksgiving. When our own
hearts need tuning to sing His praise, let us receive admonishment with
gratitude before God. When we hear the call to worship, “O magnify the Lord
with me and let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3), let us resolve to
enter Sunday morning with expectation to hear His gospel, tuning our hearts to
rejoice, and magnify the name of God with thanksgiving together.
Heavenly Father, our hearts become burdened, pierced with griefs, or cold
from our own pride. Help us to cast these weights aside, Lord. Tune our hearts
to sing Your worthy praise, songs from the hearts of Your grateful people. In
Jesus’ name. Amen.
