Be Thankful and Enjoy It
The Bible speaks of the duty of thankfulness. 1 Chronicles 16:34: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” When God gives a command, it is a good idea to listen carefully. He knows what is best for us.
Which brings us to the next point:
The Bible also speaks of the benefits of thankfulness. Philippians 4.6, 7: “…in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Here the benefit is peace and happiness, and the blessings of gratitude multiply.
Scientific studies repeatedly confirm the importance of being grateful. In a 10-week study, participants were divided into three groups and instructed to write short statements each week. The first group was asked to write about things they were thankful for. The second group was told to record their irritations. The third group wrote anything they wanted, positive or negative.
At the end of the test period, the gratitude group felt better about their lives and they were more optimistic. They required fewer doctor visits than those who journaled negative thoughts. The positive thinkers also exercised more than the others.
A curious fact of life is that there are benefits in many bad outcomes. I recall my first spelling test in third grade. I misspelled nearly every word on the 20-word test. The strict teacher required all students to write each misspelled word 50 times. I was writing long lists of words, this time correctly, for days after school to fulfill that requirement. One year under the training
of this demanding teacher turned me into an excellent speller and I won spelling bees often in the school years that followed.
Some ships that have sunk in wartime have created artificial reefs that made new marine ecosystems that are popular with divers.
Hurricane Katrina devastated many and the government was criticized for its inability to manage the crisis, but this led to changes in policy and establishing FEMA as a separate organization within the Department of Homeland Security, with greater authority and more extensive training for its leaders.
Look for things to be thankful for. You will be surprised where you find them.
By Barry Kimbrough
Pastor, Gold Beach, Brookings, and Cave Junction Seventh-day Adventist Churches
