Give thanks in all things

I take my title from the words of a brief hymn we often sing at church. It is usually simply called the Doxology. In our worship services, we usually sing it as we dedicate our tithes and offerings to the service of the Lord. To worship is to acknowledge God as creator of the heavens and the earth, to praise and give thanks to the Lord for his grace and mercy and providence, and to appreciate and to anticipate the blessings of eternal life with the Lord.

I'm looking to a part of the New Testament scripture in the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Philippians (4:4-7) where he says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I hear this scripture saying to us -- even as we live in troubled and troubling times -- not to allow ourselves to be given over to anxieties, fears and negativity, but to trust in the Lord, to acknowledge the blessings we receive even as we seek better things and better times, keeping in mind always that the Lord works for good through those who trust in him.

I notice an interesting combination of sentiments in the things the Apostle presents in these words. He calls for enduring prayer and supplication, lifting up heartfelt requests to God, combined with sincere thanksgiving and rejoicing in the Lord. So the prayers and requests to God are not to be allowed to decline into hopeless laments about how tough things are and how worrisome things are about us; they are to orient our thinking toward the confidence we have in the Lord, shaping our faithful response to God's provident help and guidance as the Lord works throughout all the dimensions of our lives.

I remember that my parents taught me as a child to say "Thank you" when someone did something kind and thoughtful for us. I have often noticed how mothers and fathers may coach their child to respond with a "Thank you" when they receive a compliment. It seems a very fitting thing to be taught that to say "Thank you" is a nice and polite way of responding to people who do nice and considerate things for us. I also remember eventually realizing that "Thank you" was not just a nice thing to say. It not only expresses appreciation for the kindness of the other person, but it also is a reminder to oneself to actually appreciate the blessings we receive and, in that way, to expand our experience of happiness in being blessed. Some people never have enough to make them happy; they are in a constant grumble and are never satisfied or fulfilled. Many of them are really richly blessed and could be glad, but they have never learned to be appreciative and to internalize the sense of being blessed.

I also note that for the Apostle Paul, giving thanks and rejoicing were not just duties to be done. Rather, to give thanks and to rejoice in the Lord is to experience a fuller life, to draw on the Spirit of God for a refreshment of mind and spirit, to receive a spiritual medicine to heal the anxious soul, and to be caught up in a vision of hope and assurance which helps us cope through all times and all circumstances. Let us rejoice in the Lord, let us pray that people may catch God's vision and take up the Lord's Way, let us give thanks to God through all circumstances, and let us open our hearts and minds to the healing Spirit of Jesus!