Attitude of Gratitude
“Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Referring to these three exhortations from the Apostle Paul, the Scottish theologian and bible translator, James Moffat wrote: “To comment adequately on these diamond drops would be to outline a history of the Christian experience in its higher levels.”
What is it about living out these set of exhortations that sets Christians apart and demonstrates the highest level of the Christian life? Most people walking this earth are looking to their present circumstances or a change of circumstances to be happy. Moreover, if they deem their present circumstances to be favorable, they may not only feel happy, but thankful and grateful.
It’s right to conclude that joyfulness and thankfulness are twins. In other words, people who are joyful are more apt to be grateful. The two go hand and hand.
Although joyfulness and thankfulness often go hand and hand, there’s a third element that is a factor as well; circumstances. Again, most people are more apt to be thankful to God and content if they're happy about their circumstances.
But there’s a higher plain of Christian living which is not dependent upon earthly circumstances. There’s a human way and there's a heavenly way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. The human way says: if my circumstances are favorable, I can be happy and grateful. But if my circumstances are unfavorable, I will grumble and complain.
But the heavenly way looks beyond one’s present circumstances to derive joy and cultivate gratitude. There’s a heavenly joy that produces divine gratefulness which comes from planting our feet on higher ground and not on our present circumstances. There’s an old hymn that beautifully captures this perspective:
How do we rise above our present circumstances to cultivate gratitude; a gratitude that does not ebb and flow with our ever changing circumstances?
First, the Apostle Paul writes, “Rejoice always…” (v.16). There are circumstances in life (i.e. the birth of a child, thanksgiving dinner with family, getting the promotion you prayed for, etc) that we ought to rejoice in and derive happiness from, but Paul said, rejoice always.
Does Paul mean that a Christian should never feel sadness or pain? Of course not. Jesus Himself experienced pain and sorrow. When writing about his Christian experience on earth, Paul, among other things, described it "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:10)
What made it possible for Paul to not only feel sorrow but to still find reasons to rejoice was because in times of sorrow and pain, Paul looked beyond his circumstances to Christ and the riches that are found in Him which led him to both find joy and to give praise and thanksgiving to God (Acts 16:23-25).
Paul could rejoice even in times of sorrow by looking away from his circumstances and looking to his relationship with Christ, to the hope he had in Christ, to the promises of Jesus to work all things for good, and to the reality “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
Secondly, Paul exhorted believers to, “pray without ceasing” (v.17). Paul lived his life on a higher plain above his circumstances because he lived in constant communion with God. His greater joy was in his fellowship with Christ.
Concerning Paul’s exhortation to pray without ceasing, David Guzik wrote:
We can rejoice always when we find our greatest join in fellowship and communion with God through constant prayer; constant interaction with God.
Thirdly and finally, Paul wrote, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v.18). It’s important to note here that the Apostle of Jesus didn’t say, give thanks “for” all circumstances, but “in” all circumstances.
When depressed about difficult circumstances or painful experiences, our tendency is to fixate on our problems and think about them constantly. But thinking about your problems constantly only makes them grow. As I heard a therapist and author say in an interview recently, “the number one symptom of depression is what they call rumination; this pathological obsessing over your pain. Sitting around obsessing and talking about your problems is a bad habit. Good therapists will help you break that bad habit, not indulge it.” -Abagail Shrier
Notably, the word “thank” stems from the Latin word "tongēre." The root "tong-" means “think.” In other words, in order to give thanks we must remember what we are forgetting and think about what we should be thankful for.
If you’re feeling discontent, dissatisfied, or ungrateful, it could be that you’re failing to remember or think about what you should be thankful for, but instead ruminating over your problems. Certainly, there are difficult things that we all go through, but even in difficult times we can be thankful.
We can be thankful in all circumstances when we turn our attention to God and all that He’s done for us in Christ. As Daniel Henderson explained:
We can live on a higher plain above our circumstances by cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Commentating on this same passage, Charles Spurgeon said: “When joy and prayer are married, their first born child is gratitude.”
And Paul concludes with: “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
It’s been said, "your attitude will determine your altitude." Let us heed Paul’s exhortation and cultivate an attitude of gratitude by which the Lord will lift us up above our circumstances and plant our feet on higher ground.
-Pastor Marco
Referring to these three exhortations from the Apostle Paul, the Scottish theologian and bible translator, James Moffat wrote: “To comment adequately on these diamond drops would be to outline a history of the Christian experience in its higher levels.”
What is it about living out these set of exhortations that sets Christians apart and demonstrates the highest level of the Christian life? Most people walking this earth are looking to their present circumstances or a change of circumstances to be happy. Moreover, if they deem their present circumstances to be favorable, they may not only feel happy, but thankful and grateful.
It’s right to conclude that joyfulness and thankfulness are twins. In other words, people who are joyful are more apt to be grateful. The two go hand and hand.
Although joyfulness and thankfulness often go hand and hand, there’s a third element that is a factor as well; circumstances. Again, most people are more apt to be thankful to God and content if they're happy about their circumstances.
But there’s a higher plain of Christian living which is not dependent upon earthly circumstances. There’s a human way and there's a heavenly way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. The human way says: if my circumstances are favorable, I can be happy and grateful. But if my circumstances are unfavorable, I will grumble and complain.
But the heavenly way looks beyond one’s present circumstances to derive joy and cultivate gratitude. There’s a heavenly joy that produces divine gratefulness which comes from planting our feet on higher ground and not on our present circumstances. There’s an old hymn that beautifully captures this perspective:
I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining ev'ry day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith, on heaven’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
How do we rise above our present circumstances to cultivate gratitude; a gratitude that does not ebb and flow with our ever changing circumstances?
First, the Apostle Paul writes, “Rejoice always…” (v.16). There are circumstances in life (i.e. the birth of a child, thanksgiving dinner with family, getting the promotion you prayed for, etc) that we ought to rejoice in and derive happiness from, but Paul said, rejoice always.
Does Paul mean that a Christian should never feel sadness or pain? Of course not. Jesus Himself experienced pain and sorrow. When writing about his Christian experience on earth, Paul, among other things, described it "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:10)
What made it possible for Paul to not only feel sorrow but to still find reasons to rejoice was because in times of sorrow and pain, Paul looked beyond his circumstances to Christ and the riches that are found in Him which led him to both find joy and to give praise and thanksgiving to God (Acts 16:23-25).
Paul could rejoice even in times of sorrow by looking away from his circumstances and looking to his relationship with Christ, to the hope he had in Christ, to the promises of Jesus to work all things for good, and to the reality “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
Secondly, Paul exhorted believers to, “pray without ceasing” (v.17). Paul lived his life on a higher plain above his circumstances because he lived in constant communion with God. His greater joy was in his fellowship with Christ.
Concerning Paul’s exhortation to pray without ceasing, David Guzik wrote:
"There is significant, important value in a time where we shut out all other distractions and focus on God in a time of closet prayer (Matthew 6:6). But there is also room – and great value – in every-moment-of-the-day fellowship with God. There are many valuable implications from this command:
- The use of the voice is not an essential element in prayer.
- The posture of prayer is not of primary importance.
- The place of prayer is not of great importance.
- The particular time of prayer is not important.
- A Christian should never be in a place where he could not pray.”
We can rejoice always when we find our greatest join in fellowship and communion with God through constant prayer; constant interaction with God.
Thirdly and finally, Paul wrote, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v.18). It’s important to note here that the Apostle of Jesus didn’t say, give thanks “for” all circumstances, but “in” all circumstances.
When depressed about difficult circumstances or painful experiences, our tendency is to fixate on our problems and think about them constantly. But thinking about your problems constantly only makes them grow. As I heard a therapist and author say in an interview recently, “the number one symptom of depression is what they call rumination; this pathological obsessing over your pain. Sitting around obsessing and talking about your problems is a bad habit. Good therapists will help you break that bad habit, not indulge it.” -Abagail Shrier
Notably, the word “thank” stems from the Latin word "tongēre." The root "tong-" means “think.” In other words, in order to give thanks we must remember what we are forgetting and think about what we should be thankful for.
If you’re feeling discontent, dissatisfied, or ungrateful, it could be that you’re failing to remember or think about what you should be thankful for, but instead ruminating over your problems. Certainly, there are difficult things that we all go through, but even in difficult times we can be thankful.
We can be thankful in all circumstances when we turn our attention to God and all that He’s done for us in Christ. As Daniel Henderson explained:
“Our financial security, family situation, and personal health may change – but He never changes. When we give thanks, our hearts and minds are “renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created” us. When thankful, we can rejoice in the name of the Most High God who is sovereign, just, gracious, merciful, and true – in spite of the earthly forecast (Psalm 92:2). Gratitude makes our theology real and practical every day.
In gratitude we remember that while life may feel bad, God is still good – all the time. By choosing gratitude we are able to count our blessings rather than complain about our burdens. Anticipation can replace anxiety and worship can replace worry when we realize how good it is to give thanks.”
We can live on a higher plain above our circumstances by cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Commentating on this same passage, Charles Spurgeon said: “When joy and prayer are married, their first born child is gratitude.”
And Paul concludes with: “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“The thought isn’t “this is God’s will, so you must do it.” The thought is rather “this is God’s will, so you can do it.” It isn’t easy to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in every circumstance give thanks, but we can do it because it is God’s will.” -Guzik
It’s been said, "your attitude will determine your altitude." Let us heed Paul’s exhortation and cultivate an attitude of gratitude by which the Lord will lift us up above our circumstances and plant our feet on higher ground.
-Pastor Marco