During this year we commemorate 75 years of continuous broadcasting. Today’s message was delivered by Richard L. Evans in 1952.
It has sometimes been suggested that to make us fully thankful, everything we have should be taken from us, and then one at a time, each cherished and essential thing should be given back to us again. It would be a shocking, sobering experience, but no doubt as each blessing was given back again, we would feel an immeasurable greatness of gratitude. But since most of us are not called upon to go through any such “shock treatment,” suppose that mentally we do so for a moment.
Suppose that in our minds we imagine we have lost everything we have: loved ones, home, health, work, food, friends, freedom. Suppose that in our minds we see ourselves in stark, comfortless want—and then imagine, if we can, how happy we would be if the blessings we now have were returned to us one at a time.
And yet, with all we have, there is often an inexplicable unhappiness, an unexplainable discontent. It is one of the perplexing wonders of the world that we should sometimes find so much to make us discontented—that we should let dissatisfaction keep us from the thankful enjoyment of all that is ours.
Too often we let unfavorable comparisons make us unhappy. We think too much about what we don’t have rather than what we do.
Life isn’t utterly untroubled for any of us. There may be loved ones away. There may be ambitions we have failed to fulfill. Some seem to get what they have with less effort than others. There are times of sickness and sorrow and setbacks. We are all subject to losing those we love. But despite all difficulties and periods of disappointment, thankfully let us face this fact: If we have enough to eat, enough to wear, enough to keep us well and warm, useful work, loved ones, health and home, friends and freedom—and faith—or even if we have most or many of these things that matter so much, we have reason to join with the Psalmist in saying: “My cup runneth over.”1
If we think otherwise, again suppose we give up everything we have; suppose we start with nothing and think how grateful we would be to have each blessing back. [In Lloyd D. Newell, comp., Messages from Music and the Spoken Word (2003), 86–87.]
Program #3889
1. Psalm 23:5.
© 1952 by the Richard L. Evans family. Used by permission