The title may seem to be asking a lot from people but I am convinced that it can and should be done always. And I believe it will have a calming reaction to the one(s) doing the thanking. I’d like to give you a few examples and then we will discuss the subject.No one that I have ever known has undergone any more terrible misfortunes than the biblical character named Job. He was a faithful follower of God and was also very prosperous. Here is what the first three verses of the book of Job says: “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job: and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” First, the Sabe’ans came and slew his farm workers and took all of his oxen and she-asses. His sheep and servants were destroyed by a fire, the Chalde’ans took away all his camels and his children were all killed in a wind storm. And after losing all of his holdings and children, he was stricken with boils from his feet to the top of his head. But do you know what his reaction was? Here is what he said in verse 21 of the first chapter: “… Naked came I out of my mother’s womb and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” It is doubtful that any of us will ever endure the many misfortunes of Job but can you imagine this attitude?
I read a quote, whether it was a portion of a prayer or not, I do not know but it is profound in either instance. It was by an American statesman, Daniel Webster who had been robbed by an armed man. Here is what he said:
“I am thankful that he took my wallet and not my life. I am thankful that, although he took all I had, it wasn’t much, and most of all, I am thankful that it was I that was robbed and not the one who robbed.”
We can always find something that we should be thankful for and be sincere about it. I have been in situations that has proven this to me. It is not always easy to take your mind off of your loss and concentrate on the blessings instead. Humor me while I recite an occasion where once I was faced with this dilemma.
When my children were small, we had a preacher for our congregation who was not only our preacher but a very wonderful friend. It was difficult to find any fault with the fellow. He was very humble, cheerful and pleasant. The type fellow that always made you feel better when he was present. He also had a delightful family (wife and two adult daughters) all who cherished each other. We loved the family very much. But he had a heart attack and almost died. He improved somewhat and had another one. He was hospitalized for a couple of weeks as they tried to help him recuperate. Several of us took turns sitting with him. He was supposed to rest and not even talk much. But when I was with him, I couldn’t keep him from talking. Although deathly sick, he always had that endearing smile on his face as he talked and he honestly tried to encourage me not to be concerned about him. One Wednesday night when we had bible classes, his wife and daughters stayed with him. After our class studies were over we stopped by to see if we could be of any help that night but we were told when we entered that he had passed away only minutes before. They directed us to the chapel room where his family was and we found them all hugging each other and quietly weeping. They hugged us and we were all devastated and cried together. The widow turned to me and through her tears asked me to please say a prayer. It is difficult to explain the feeling that came over me. I knew that I must, but what on earth was I to say? I had always felt that prayers should be more thanksgiving than supplication, but how could I express thanks before this grieving family without sounding crass? So, I determined to do the best I could under the emotional stress of the moment and here is approximately what I said. It has been almost fifty years so it no doubt is not nearly verbatim.
“Our heavenly Father, Almighty and All Wise God, we are saddened yet thankful for this day that you have given us with all of it’s many blessings. And we are thankful Father for the exceptional blessing that we have had to be called a friend of this good man and his wonderful family. We are exceedingly thankful for the life that he lived before us and the example that he was. Now we commend his spirit to you because we know that he was a good and faithful servant of thine. Be with his family Father, and all of us during this trial, and may thy word comfort and strengthen us. Help us always to live lives as this man did, that will glorify thee and thy Son, Jesus our saviour, and it is in His name that we pray. Amen”
I have often thought I about this incident and just how difficult it was for me to word the prayer so as not to sound unconcerned or to hurt the family in any way. But it has helped me to realize that there are always things about our circumstances which we should be thankful for. The quotation by Daniel Webster is a perfect example. Few people would be able to come up with that many items in a robbery to be thankful for.
When I become discouraged over things that happen to my family or lots of other things, I find much encouragement to stop and consider those things that I do have to be thankful for and they are myriad. Some years ago I had the privilege of becoming acquainted with two Christian gospel preachers in Kenya. And they are truly an inspiration. One of them, named Benard Ooko Kagaga, is one of the most impressive men I have ever known, I think. He contacted me one time looking for support for the other fellow so that he could devote his full time to preaching. I was fortunate enough to convince one group to furnish the support for him.
I later found that Benard was as badly in need as the other. But he never asks for personal support. I occasionally send him a little. But these fellows work under conditions that would discourage most anyone in the United States. They have very little, and they were walking to visit bible study students and other such things. None in their village have a car. Benard became a Christian in 1993, and in these few years has been directly responsible for over three hundred conversions. I, with the help of a few others sent them enough money to buy 4 new bicycles for the two men and two others in the congregation who were walking to neighboring villages each Sunday where there were tiny groups of Christians, to help them conduct their worship services. I tell you all of this simply to give you the example that I consider when I become discouraged and unthankful. We fight and criticize our government, but instead, we ought to be thankful beyond words for our prosperity and blessings. Think on these things.
