The Mystery of Being Thankful
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)
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When I asked my congregation to list some of the items in their lives they were thankful for, I discovered something very interesting. Those who responded to my note tended to be elderly people who have struggled with suffering and death. They wanted to tell about their thanksgiving.
Sometimes, those who have the most reason to give thanks are the least thankful. The young professional woman who makes a good living, is healthy, active and respected in her field may experience great anxiety because she doesn't remember that everything she is and has is a gift from God. She does not know what it means to be thankful and because this is missing from her life, she doesn't have peace and joy.
On the other end of the spectrum is a woman in her 50's who should be in the prime of her life. She’s at the top of her profession as a nurse and administrator. And yet she is limited by the arthritis that's eating away at her body. Month after month, she watches the list of manageable activities grow shorter. She has known pain like few others have ever experienced. And yet she is one of the most thankful people I have every known. She lives by the grace of God and praises Him everyday. Her life reminds me of the words of the hymn “Trust and Obey": "But we never can prove the delights of His love, until all on the altar we lay."
PRAYER: Father, keep us from congratulating ourselves when things go well and teach us to be thankful in every circumstance. Refocus our attention on you. In Christ's name, Amen.
感恩的秘訣
「凡事謝恩，因為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意。」
(帖前5:18)
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當我鼓勵弟兄姐妹把生命中值得感恩的事寫下來時，我發現了一個十分有趣的現象。回應的，多數是年長者。他們生命中雖然經歷過很多掙扎，甚至是摯愛親友的逝世，然而，他們仍樂於訴說神恩。
其實，有最多事情值得感恩的人，卻最不會感恩。例如其中一位年青的專業女性，雖壯健並充滿活力，又受人尊敬，但卻忘了她擁有的一切都是神的恩賜，因而常獨力去承受很多的壓力。她既不懂得感恩，自然便嘗不到平安與喜樂了。
反之，一位年屆五十的護士長，事業本如日中天，處在人生的黃金時段，但因著嚴重的關節炎，很多事情都做不來了。時光流逝，她能做的也就愈來愈少。她身體所承受的痛楚是很少人能體會的。然而，她卻是我認識的人中最懂得感恩的其中一個。她靠著神的恩典而活，每天都讚美祂的作為。她的生命使我想起一首聖詩「信靠順服」的內容：「除非我將一切奉獻救主腳前，主豐滿慈愛才能體驗。」
禱告：父啊，求使我在得意的日子，不將榮耀歸給自己；並教導我無論在何景況，都存感恩的心。幫助我們再次專心仰望您。奉耶穌的名求，阿們。
轉載：住在鄰近遠方的信仰前輩