Give Thanks – October 05, 2003
Some days have more rain than sun, more wind than calm. Indeed, no one sails upon life’s waters without being tempest tossed at times. But no matter the billowing surge, all who look to the Lord for strength and salvation can find reason to be grateful and, in their gratitude, feel peace and joy.
Rising above the storms of life is a still, small voice of thankfulness. It beckons us to look beyond our present pain. It invites us to take one step and then another outside ourselves—to look for the good, to lift the hands that hang down,1 to grow in our trust and appreciation for the Lord. Indeed, life’s most challenging squalls can be divine lessons in gratitude.
A grandma, now in her seventies and a widow for many years, constantly reminds her children and grandchildren to “count their blessings.” She could be bitter about the surgery that left her unable to walk. She could be angry about the untimely death of her beloved husband of nearly four decades. But instead she chooses to be grateful for the simple blessings of each new day.
Life’s circumstances ebb and flow for all of us. Sometimes it’s easy to feel grateful, and other times it requires heartfelt reflection to recognize heaven’s bounty. But everyone has reason to give thanks. So much of life—its beauty and gifts—can nourish our souls. So much love can be shared. So accessible is the wisdom of the ages. Even the air we breathe is a gift from God. How can we ever repay the Lord for His abundant blessings? How can we acknowledge the contributions of those who have gone before? We simply cannot repay those blessings. But we can fill our hearts with thankfulness.
It has been said that “one single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.”2 Such prayers help to lift the fog of fear and frustration. They remind us of our dependence on God, our need for His love, His mercy, and His watch care. Gratitude unto God unlocks the fulness of life.
Pause for a moment and give thanks. Rejoice in the amazing grace and goodness of our Maker. Praise Him, the “bounteous source of every joy.”3
Program #3868
1. See Hebrews 12:12.
2. G. E. Lessing, in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, rev. 4th ed. (1996), 419.
3. Anna Laetitia Barbauld, “Hymn II,” in Literature Online, http://80-lion.chadwyck.com.erl.lib.byu.edu