students of jesus

Thanksgiving posts always seem to sound like such a scolding: we ought to give thanks. 

Think about all the things you have and all those other people who have nothing. 

There, now: give thanks.

Don’t concentrate on what is missing, be grateful for what you have.

There, now: give thanks.

Ungrateful people are losers.

There, now: give thanks.

Doesn't really help, does it? The problem is, guilt is a terrible motivation for giving thanks. When I read Bible passages instructing me to give thanks, it can sound the same way. On my grumpy days I feel like talking back to the scripture, “Don’t tell me to be happy! Do you think I could put it on from the outside?” (Here’s a happy-coat, why don’t you put it on?) And yet, giving thanks is the will of God. So if it’s the will of God shouldn’t I simply try harder, be obedient, and say thank you? I'll be obediently happy even if I hate it and it kills me! (Good luck with that.)

Frequently we teach children to say please and thank you as a matter of courtesy--as a way of teaching them how to get along in society. It’s the price they must pay to get their milk and cookies. We’re more concerned with the outward performance of good manners than we are with true gratitude. 

God is not honored when we tell him what we think he wants to hear--even though we don’t believe it. He knows better. He is honored (and we are healthiest) when our hearts and minds flow naturally with his. In this season we do well to recognize that included in the flow is a heart-condition called thankfulness.

Ask Yourself: What would happen if I were really honest with God? Would he reject me for thinking the wrong thoughts? Would he ignore me? Would he patronize me? Or would he help me change?

Live Into It: Take inventory of your thoughts. The truth is an excellent starting point. Instead of trying to force yourself to change, why not use the truth of how you really feel to begin an honest dialogue with God? Will he leave you trapped and alone in your anger, frustration, or sadness? There's only one way to find out: sit down and talk it out with your Father.