What are we Thankful For? A Paradigm Shift

Are you part of a family that has each person give thanks for something in their lives as part of their Thanksgiving celebration? Typically there are thanks given for our lives, our families and the things we possess. It is only natural for us to be thankful for all the things that we perceive to be good. After all we would think that who in their right mind would be thankful for things that were unpleasant or difficult? Which begs the question, what if it seemed that there was nothing to be thankful for, could we still give thanks to God?

If we are Christians, but we are going through difficult times, have we lost the reason to give thanks? No, the Bible teaches that God’s will for us is that we would give thanks in every circumstance in our lives (1 Thess 5:18). Therefore what we need is a new paradigm for Thanksgiving. In other words, we need a new focus for the reason to give thanks.

Roget’s Thesaurus lists, as synonyms for the word thankful, the words contented and satisfied. The first step to giving thanks in every circumstance is contentment. What is contentment? Contentment is the knowledge that we possess all that we need. Discontentment is defined as dissatisfaction. We cannot be thankful if we are dissatisfied. The Apostle Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in every situation (Phil 4:12).

Psalm 100 is specifically called a psalm for giving thanks. As we read this psalm, we can notice that the focus is on the Lord our God. We are His, not that He is ours. This tells us that we are subject to His will and not that He is subject to our wills. While some may balk at His sovereignty, the psalm goes on to reassure us that we need not fear His control because “the Lord is good and his love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” His plan for us is ultimately a good one when we love Him and respond to His call and purposes (Rom 8:28).

While the Lord is good and His goodness and love faithfully endure throughout all time, we are sporadic at being good and loving at best and therefore we are not faithful. Because we are not always good, not always loving, and not faithful in every situation how can we be content? Is it not true that much of the world’s problems and even our own are caused by sin?

The Bible teaches that God understands who we are and remembers our character in dealing with us (Psalms 103:14). The Apostle Paul taught, “We are not fit, meaning qualified and sufficient in ability, of ourselves to form personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from us, but our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. It is He who has qualified us making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient” (2 Cor 3:5-6). More simply stated, we are flawed creatures in our thinking and actions but God has made us worthy and acceptable in Christ Jesus who died for us. Our worthiness is not based upon our personal goodness or on what we possess; our worthiness is based upon what Christ alone has done.

And so we have found the secret of Paul’s contentment as he stated in his epistle to the Philippians. He said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:11b-13).

The secret to Paul’s contentment was that he possessed Christ in his life and he realized that in Him he could do everything – that is whether it was to be in plenty or in want, or to be well fed or hungry. He found that in Christ Jesus were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3).

The Bible makes this statement: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:21). In this new paradigm for giving thanks, I would like us to understand that it is not only WHERE our treasure is, but also WHAT our treasure is that reveals the condition of our hearts. If our treasures are things like wealth, health, family, and possessions do we realize that eventually we shall lose all of these? It is not that these things are not valuable because if they are used to bring God glory they are. But if they are the focus of our desire and the reason for our thanks then dissatisfaction is inevitable because not only do thieves steal and things decay, but our health fades and our families leave us and eventually pass into eternity.

Paul realized this paradigm shift in his own life when he said, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:7-8). Paul came to the realization that his treasure was Christ Jesus, both knowing Him and possessing Him. Paul tell us in another place, “God has chosen to make known . . . the glorious riches (treasure) of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27).

If we, like Paul, focus our desire and our praise on Christ and all that comes with Him, then it doesn’t matter if we suffer lack or we have this world’s good. We rejoice that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Like both Moses and Paul we can regard disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt (or this world), because we are looking ahead to our reward (Heb 11:26).

Like Paul, Moses and other Biblical examples, we have to choose to change our perspectives. The Bible tells us that “since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1-4). This “setting” of our hearts and minds is a purposeful action.

As the old song says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus . . . and the things of this world will grow strangely dim.” We can be content with what we have if we possess Christ because, God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb 13:5).

There is so much more to this paradigm. A Bible study on contentment and giving thanks will help fill in the blanks. This Thanksgiving holyday, be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (be your treasure) as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Let us give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever. In Him we have all that we will ever need.