An Attitude of Gratitude

"At all times and for everything, give thanks 

in The name of our LORD Jesus Christ to God The Father." 

- Ephesians 5:20

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Complaining and grumbling is something that I catch myself doing from time to time. Sometimes it's an innocent whiney comment, and sometimes it's a more serious attitude problem. But either way, it's clear that I don't always live in a state of thankfulness and praise as this verse tells us to. 

We know that we are each born with a sinful nature, and so complaining is natural at birth, as demonstrated in an infants screaming cries for attention. As we get older, complaining becomes a natural part of our conversations, and simple: "how are you?"s turn into long lists of all the things going wrong in our lives. We live in a society of complainers, there's no denying that. 

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This verse tells us that at all times, and in all things, give thanks to God. We are called to live in an attitude of thankfulness, that encompasses everything we do, say, and live. 

So the question is, how do we live in real life: lack of sleep, unending bills to pay, drama in our relationships, fears for our children, work stress, struggles of all sorts, and live in an attitude of thankfulness?

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I think, first, it's important for us to understand why God gives us this instruction. And to see this, we need to go back to the beginning of Chapter 5, where Paul writes to the church in Ephesus to strive to follow the example of God. 

Paul is writing this chapter in order to show us how we ought to live, instructing us not to be filled with alcohol and the ways of this world, but instead to be filled with The Holy Spirit, living in peace with one another, praising God, and living in thankfulness always. We are told to live this way because "we once were in darkness, but are now in the light of The LORD" (vs. 8) We have been changed, God has changed us, and we ought to live as changed people. 

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It's in understanding how God was merciful to us, pulling us out of darkness, that our heart of thankfulness is able to begin. We need to come face to face with our Savior God, and see how good He has been to us, and how just the very breath we breathe should require our thankfulness. 

Stop and think: We should have been left in that darkness, but Christ made us alive!

Is there anything more that needs to happen in order for us to be thankful?

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Forgive us, God. 

When we grumble, when we complain.

When we forget how amazing You are, and how richly You have blessed us. 

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In light of Christ's sacrifice for us, and the everlasting love of our Father God, we are able to live in an attitude of thankfulness by sifting all of the junk in our lives through this filter of truth. 

We may have trouble in this life, we may have hardships, and we may have pain, but Christ has pulled us out of our darkness, and so all things have been made new and beautiful and purposed. 

We know our God is good, and even in our trials, there is purpose, and He will reveal those purposes when we thank Him for the pain, when we humbly lay it down at His feet, and live in an attitude of praise, no matter what may come. 

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We are able to live our lives with an attitude of thankfulness, even on the most trying of days, knowing how good God has been, and how His goodness cancels out even the worst of pain felt here on earth. 

We are able to give thanks, at all times, and in all things, because of Christ's love for us, because of the goodness He's shown us.