Give Thanks!

Many of us who live in Vancouver know we have much to be thankful for. Most of us live comfortable lives. We don’t need to worry about food or shelter. We are free men and women with rights, protected by the law. We are able to study, to go out with our friends, to enjoy the city’s sights and sounds. But then there are still those in our city who find it hard to be thankful: the poor, the sick, the abused, the mentally ill. The list goes on and on. In fact, there are times when I find it hard to be grateful, because of the troubles I have in my life. 

Not everything that happens, especially not everything that people do to each other, is good. But the situation with God is different. As Christ reminded us, loving parents do not give their children a stone rather than bread, a snake instead of a fish. And God is far more loving than our earthly parents (Matt. 7:9-11).

Children of God cannot expect pain-free, stress-free lives. James tells us not only that every good gift comes from our heavenly Father (1:17), but also that we are to "count it all joy" when we "fall into various trials." The testing of our "faith produces patience," and the work of patience makes us "perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (vv.2-4).

Christians are called to be joyful and thankful, even during times of suffering. I don’t think this means that we are to be grateful for the tragic and troublesome events that happen in our lives and in our world. But rather, when I am faced with problems in my life, I have faith that God is with me in my suffering. I remember one Sunday the Rev. Stephen Farris preached on Psalm 23. He emphasized the Psalmist said “Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4). He said that God doesn’t walk in the shadow of the valley of death but through it with us. Whenever I feel down, I think of this verse and I am grateful to God that he walks with me in my suffering.

I used to notice that I would only pray hard when I’m in trouble. And when I talk to people, I also hear a lot of them tell me that they too, would only pray when they are in trouble. Yet in recent years, after repeatedly falling away from God when things are going well in my life and finding myself in trouble when I have, I’ve not only learned the importance of constantly maintaining a close relationship with God but also to always bear an attitude of thankfulness towards him. I think when my life is going well, I no longer dare to attribute it to my own doing, but rejoice whole-hearted for God’s goodness towards me. 

In Vancouver and all over the world, there are many people who take time to help others better their quality of life. In these acts of compassion we can see the mercy and love of God, and his promise to care for his creation. It is in many of others’ action that I feel the love of God, and in them where a thankful heart arises.

In times that we don’t feel especially happy about the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can be grateful because we know that Jesus died on the cross so that we can be born again, free and new. And in times when things are going very well in our lives, we can remind ourselves to give thanks to God for everything we have is his, and that he is good and gives us only the very best.