Always Be Grateful For What You Have

1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

I love something that Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) said: The expectation of nothing is the foundation of gratitude. In other words, if you expect nothing you will be grateful for everything.

We are living in one of the most spoiled generations in American history today. One of the main reasons is the television that has conditioned Americans to expect a certain quality of life that matches what they see on television. Some call it: Keeping up with the Jonses.

Our text passage of Scripture is 1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” The Holy Bible doesn't say to be thankful “for” every thing; but rather, “in” every thing. There is always something to be thankful for. I saw a married couple recently on the news whose house was totally destroyed by a tornado, but they were thankful to be alive and safe. That is what the Bible means.

The Scripture has much to say about maintaining a grateful spirit toward God at all times. Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” The first step downward in life is to become unthankful toward God.

A few years ago, I saw a disheveled looking homeless man in California being interviewed as he searched for food in a dumpster. I was humbled when he quoted Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God bless that dear man! He relies on leftover food, scraps from restaurant customers, that he finds in a dumpster to provide his daily sustenance; and he is thankful to God for those meals.

If that poor man (like Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31) can be grateful to have so little, then we have no excuse. There are 10,080 minutes in each week. Have we thanked God with even one of them? I guarantee that if you will start being more grateful for what you have (and don't have), it will change your life. Happy people are not thankful people; thankful people are happy people.

Lord willing, I will turn 60 years old on March 5, 2027. At my age I cannot help but take notice whenever I hear about anyone dying in their fifties. Bill Bixby (1934-1993), who starred in The Hulk television series, died of prostate cancer at only age 59 (my age). Famous Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart weighed only 80 pounds at the time of his death. He passed away on January 14, 1957, due to cancer. Bogart was only 57. Oh dear reader, life is so short. 

Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” 

I am now in the third act of my life. My chronic neck pain is debilitating. My continual burning nerves feel overwhelming. The right side of my body feels half asleep all the time. Both of my arms feel inflated with air. These are my heavy burdens to bear. God is good and faithful.

Notice what the inspired Word of God says people will be like in the Last Days. 2nd Timothy 3:2, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” The vast majority of Americans today have become unthankful and unholy. Jesus' words have never rang more true than they do today in Mark 11:22b, “Have faith in God.”