The Apostle Paul wrote
Give thanks in everything for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:18)
As I write this, Thanksgiving Day is just a few days away. You might already be in preparation mode to visit with or host family and close friends. As you work to assure that everything is ready, can I suggest you plan to check your own Gratitude Quotient? No, I didn’t make that up. It is a thing.
It’s amazing to me how easily we can overlook the obvious or take the main point for granted. Have you ever gotten to the airport for an international flight and had to go back home to the passport you left on the nightstand so you wouldn’t forget it? No, I haven’t done that but I did drive at least one person who did.
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The question I have for us today, especially as we are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, how is YOUR Thankfulness level? After all, it is THANKSgiving Day — a day for giving thanks.
Here’s your chance to see where you are on this continuum and to seize the opportunity to grow in thankfulness.
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Level 1: Ungrateful
Maybe you consider yourself a self-made man or woman. Nobody gave you anything. In spite of the deck being stacked against you, you made it to the top. You see no need to be thankful. If anyone did happen to help you along the way, you figure they did it for their own benefit. So, you see no need to be thankful.
Maybe you are grateful to people who may have helped you, but you just can’t wrap your head around the idea of a “God” being anything more than a myth that helps people cope.
Maybe it’s time to look a bit beyond the obvious?
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools
Romans 1:19–22 (ESV)
Level 2: Clueless
Maybe you are generally happy and believe God exists and cares about us but you are busy just getting by that you may not even notice the blessings you’ve already received.
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
Matthew 13:19 (ESV)
Level 3: Reactive
Maybe you are grateful when you sense that things are going your way, you received a gift, or sense God’s hand at work.
This is a good place to start. Remember how Jesus commended the leper who returned to give thanks.
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:11–19 (ESV)
Level 4: Proactive
Maybe you have learned to intentionally pause and reflect on the many ways that God has already worked in, through, or for you.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:3–6 (ESV)
Level 5: Overflowing
Maybe you’ve grown to the point where you are walking so close to God and are so aware of your own sinfulness before God and the grace you have received that you are constantly erupting in gratitude truly amazed at the grace of God at work in and around you.
knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:14–15 (ESV)
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV)
Level 6: Supernatural
Just maybe, you’ve grown to the point where you can genuinely trust God to the point where you can even rejoice in the midst of a trial or challenge because you know that God has not and will not desert you. You know that He works all things together for good. You know that He will never leave you nor forsake you. You know that you are safe in His hand. Because of that, you are able to be thankful and not cave to the pain but trust in the promises of the faithful God.
I don’t take this lightly. I labeled this as Supernatural because I don’t think this level is possible without the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2–4 (ESV)
