It is November 2020, as is custom, our brothers and sisters across the Atlantic will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week. I thought about this holiday and how it is going to turn out for some families in light of the global pandemic we have faced this year, the scripture that came to my mind is 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18. For purposes of this post let me reproduce the NIV version of this scripture.

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I do not think anyone sitting across the table will find fault with someone who will say I do not feel like giving thanks this year. Am thinking of those who have lost loved ones, then there are those whose source of livelihood was taken away and now they have to live with the uncertainty of what tomorrow holds. Yes excusing us all from giving thanks this year seems like the right thing to do. However, a quick glance at the scripture above suggests that we need to still dig deep and find a reason to utter the words Thank You, Lord.

Yes, indeed we are required to give thanks this year too, and below I consider two reasons why we all need to find a reason to be thankful this year.

#1. We Are Commanded to be Thankful

As I meditate and reflect on our scripture above, one thing is certain and that is we are commanded to do three things: be joyful, pray without ceasing, and be thankful in all circumstances. You can all agree with me that all these three things are an uphill task right now. In spite of this, however, we see that our joy, prayers, and having hearts filled with gratitude should not fluctuate in spite of what may be happening around us. At this point, I am reminded of the man who said \”Lord I believe but help my unbelief\”. 

Keep in mind that this month came with good news about the vaccine trials. There we go a reason for us to say thank you for giving wisdom to the scientists. Even as we here in Africa continue to pray for even greater breakthroughs so that we can also benefit from the vaccine we will still act in faith and say thank you.

I also take note of the fact that Paul in the scripture above is asking that we give thanks in all circumstances and not for the circumstances we may find ourselves in. We need to always remember that in spite of the circumstances, evil does not come from God. To this end, when evil comes like it did this year, we need to obey the command and thank God for His presence and for the good He can accomplish in the midst of a global pandemic.

#2. Being Grateful Improves Our Physical and Mental Health

How many times do we suffer the effects of stress simply because we are trying to keep up appearances or refusing to let go of what may have happened? With the advent of social media, it is so easy to think and feel like it is only you who has nothing to be thankful for. We are told that,

\”a cheerful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit saps a person\’s strength\” 

The truth is bad things happen to good people and whereas we may not have a logical explanation for why this is so, all we can do is make the most of what life offers. You need to maintain a positive outlook and remember your best days lie ahead and never behind you. There have been days when I have had to repeat this statement to myself just so I can keep my hope alive.

Whereas maintaining a cheerful heart all the time may not be possible especially given the current state of affairs. I am finding that literally looking for the good that is happening and focusing on it helps a lot. What comes to mind now is the classic hymn Count your blessings. Here is a version with the lyrics of the song youtu.be/9fMjgS4vu4o.

I am learning that the key to being grateful in spite of one\’s circumstances is to shift your focus away from what is wrong and instead focus on what is right. I find that doing this inevitably results in one finding a reason to be grateful.

I like the quote by Wayne Dayer \”when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change\”. It reminds me to be grateful for what is before me as this is what will enable me to attract more things to be grateful for. The opposite of this is also true. The more you complain, the more reasons will flash before you for you to continue in your complaining party.

Finally,

Whether or not you will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I reckon that we all ought to find a reason to express our thankfulness to God. Granted some people\’s circumstances may be too heavy but let us keep hope alive even if sometimes we will have to literally affirm that \”our best days lie ahead of us and not behind us\”  

 

Rosette is a Leadership and Productivity Coach she is also a Certified DISC Trainer with the John Maxwell Team. She Co founded The Africa Women Leadership Summit which brings together women in leadership and helps then sharpen and grow their leadership.

She helps her clients live a Simple, Productive and Contented life. She has qualifications in Law, Business Administration and Human Resource Management and Development. You can book a complementary session with her HERE.