And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:20)
At prayer meeting last night, our pastor read a letter from a missionary family in Haiti that we help support. Toward the end of the letter, they had a list of items that they were thankful for. We understood the handshakes and hugs from Haitian believers and the smiles on faces of children. We laughed at “working visitors who are out of breath as they walk up the mountain.” Most of us could relate to the rich odor of newly turned soil. (The husband is an agriculturalist, who is developing and introducing new food crops and improved strains of others.)
That listed ended with, “The sound of voodoo drums.” Several gasps could be heard around the assembled group. Why would they be thankful for that?
Those were not the final words of the letter. Indeed, they were not the final words of the sentence. The sentence continued, “because they remind us to pray.”
It was over forty years ago that Sylvia and I learned of the power in giving thanks. Three weeks ago, when she fell and broke her wrist she had began a list of “I’m thankful for this because.”
The list has obvious items, such as it was not her dominant hand. In the ER she discovered that the bone density med that she was taking is not good. We had just learned that a young lady was unemployed. She is now coming here a couple of times a week to help with cleaning and cooking. The list is now very long.
Do you practice giving thanks for every thing?
I do give thanks for the fleas (Corey Ten Boom reference)! At least I always try to remember to do so.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
When we were having a rough patch recently, I would start my prayers with 10 things that I was grateful for…and I vowed I would not repeat any from the day before. While I was sad and anxious, thanking God for, and reminding myself of, all the good parts of my life kept me going. It’s sort of hard initially, but once you get going, it’s hard to stop.
While things are a little sunnier here, I have continued my grateful prayers.
It is amazing how it change us when we start thinking that way.
Sometimes I forget and need to be reminded that, even during hard times, there is much for which to be thankful. It’s great that Sylvia has such a positive spirit.
I need that reminder too.