“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to thank you for your continued support and partnership in the work of the Gospel through the ministries of our church. We would not be able to do what we do without you and your involvement. How is it possible for us to give thanks when so much in our current life is difficult and challenging? Can we and will we give thanks? Allow me to share with you a couple of examples that may encourage you. First, we remember that Paul wrote the above words while he was in prison, with his life in the balance as he awaited his execution. Paul, writing to his beloved church in Philippi, doesn’t offer cheap platitudes about choosing not to worry, prayers, petitions, requests and thanksgiving to God. Paul is writing to encourage the believers to present their thanksgiving to God in every situation, good or bad. Secondly, our national holiday of gratitude, Thanksgiving Day, was born and grew out of hard times. The first Thanksgiving took place after nearly half the pilgrims died from a rough year and a still rougher winter. It became a national holiday in 1863 in the middle of the Civil War and was moved to its current date in the 1930s following the Great Depression. We can be thankful even in the midst of very difficult and challenging times. These are examples of gratitude in very trying times. Paul, in a very similar passage to the verse above, challenges us: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18) Notice that we are to give thanks in, not for, all circumstances. We are also to give thanks not only when things are good, but “in all circumstances.” Why does God command us to do so? It turns out that there are very good reasons. Dr. Robert A. Emmons, professor of psychology at U.C. Davis, one of the world’s leading scientific experts on gratitude, said, “When under crisis conditions, we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life. In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times.” As followers of Jesus Christ, when we give thanks in all circumstances, even difficult ones, we are acknowledging God’s sovereign work in our lives. And He does so for our own good (see Rom. 8:28). Gratitude also helps us experience deeper joy in life, a joy that is never dependent upon our circumstances. As Dr. Emmons noted, this kind of joy that comes from our Lord is vital because it gives us the strength and energy to thrive in the midst of trying times. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Lastly, our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving. Both in the passage above as well as in 1 Thess. 5:16-18, Paul connects giving thanks with our prayers. Our thanksgiving should always be included every time we pray and ask God for our needs. This Thanksgiving, we will gather as a family of faith to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us. I want to invite you to join us for our Thanksgiving Service (Thursday, November 25, at 10:30 AM, Cerritos campus) as we gather to corporately express gratitude to God. I also want to include our brothers and sisters from the Fullerton campus in this invitation. If you are in Michigan, whether in Oakland or East Lansing, you are invited to join our Thanksgiving Service (Thursday, November 25, at 11:00 AM, EST, Oakland campus). The services will be followed by a potluck luncheon. For more information, please contact your congregational pastor. I also want to invite you to consider a special Thanksgiving offering, as an expression of your gratitude to God for His abundant grace and rich blessings. If you choose to do so, you may send or drop off your special thanksgiving offering at your respective campus. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Comments are closed.
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