Give Thanks In All Circumstances

The sermon starts with the video “I Choose Thankful”

http://www.ministryflix.com/short_films/overview-i_choose_thankful.html?trk=10

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving – for some people it is just a day

off which extends a weekend; for others it is a good chance to see their

relatives and have good food. – Nothing against it but for many of them

the day of giving thanks will finish on Tuesday morning when they will

get back to work and start their everyday routines – that moment they

begin to complain about a terrible life, about all those difficulties,

problems, troubles, and inconveniences they must face day by day.

For us Christians, however, this day should be a moment when we look

back on previous days and realize God´s presence and His active work

in every moment and situation of our life, even though sometimes the

circumstances are not always the best. In fact, they may be downright

bad, but still, we look for something to be thankful for! And there is

ALWAYS something good for which we can be thankful!

So, today I want to look at three areas of our life which give us

opportunity to give thanks to God. Let´s look at our blessings from an

outward, inward and upward perspective...

1. An outward look will reveal thankfulness for what I have...

In the 1st Tim 6:17 we read, “Command those who are rich in this

present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is

so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with

everything for our enjoyment.”

To better understand our situation here in Canada, let´s look at our world

and how it would look like, if we could shrink the earth’s population to a

village of one hundred people: There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans,

14 from the Western Hemisphere, and 8 Africans. – 50 of them would suffer from malnutrition and one would be near death. – 80 would live in

substandard housing. – 70 would be unable to read. – 6 would possess

more than half of the world’s wealth and all would be from North

America. – If we attend church without fear of harassment, arrest,

torture, or death, we are better off than 3 billion people in that regard. If

we have money in the bank, food in the fridge, clothes on our backs, and

a roof over our heads, we are richer than 75% of this world.

We often overlook our blessings because many of them we understand

as a standard living condition. We really don´t know what we have until

it is gone. – Our power is shut off, and suddenly we become thankful for

electricity. Our garbage is not picked up, and suddenly we become

thankful for the garbage collector’s weekly stop. A good friend dies, and

suddenly we discover how much that person meant to us.

Some people may say, “I am really content with what I currently have...”

– I am really content – until I start looking through the Sears catalogue.

– I like my car – until I see the newest model of Lexus. – I am satisfied

with my clothes – until I stroll through the Mall. – I love my home –

until I think of what it would be like to have a log cabin on the shore of

some remote lake. – I am satisfied with every area of my life – until I

start comparing with someone else’s life. – I really feel like I have

enough of everything – until I see someone who has more.

Let’s not be far-sighted. We should focus on and look at that which is

near and what we have! The secret of a satisfied life is not to get what

we want but to live with what we have. – Most of us spend our lives

concentrating on what we don’t have instead of thanking God for what

He has provided us for living. Then we wake up, our life is over, and we

missed the beauty of the present.

The Bible tells us – “give thanks” in all circumstances even if you

sometimes have less than you think you would deserve. If you trust in

God, He will always provide you with enough for your daily life.

2. An inward look will reveal thankfulness for what I go through...

Psychologist, Dr. Dale Robbins writes, “I used to think people

complained because they had a lot of problems. But I have come to

realize that they have problems because they complain. – Complaining

doesn’t change anything or make situations better. It amplifies

frustration, spreads discontent and discord, and can invoke an invitation

for the devil to cause chaos with our lives.” Complaining makes us

miserable.

In Philippians the Apostle Paul says, “Do everything without