Dear Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Gratitude. It could be defined as that feeling you get when you receive something special. A gift. A friendly gesture. Or even a new marriage, new baby, or new church. But after a couple of weeks (or minutes), after the newness (or honeymoon) wears off, familiarity sets in. And a new emotion replaces the previous one. Instead of feeling gratitude, we often feel grumpy. What had just moments before seemed so special, now feels normal. And the saying is accurate, familiarity breeds contempt. A gift that looked so perfect now has noticeable flaws. Why does this happen? And what can we do about it?
This gratitude to grumbling phenomenon is directly related to the word, fall. No, not this season when leaves change; the fall of mankind, leading to a fallen world. Ever since sin entered the world, natural good responses have been replaced with natural wrong ones. Paul tells us that sinful mankind expresses their sinful nature by not giving thanks (Romans 1:21). We are experts at turning a grateful opportunity into a grumbling one. This is understandable since we’re made for a perfect world that we don’t live in yet.
While we wait for eternal perfection, though, what can we do about our natural ungrateful tendencies? That’s just the question God wants us to ask! This is why He repeatedly commands us to be thankful. He knows we aren’t naturally prone towards gratitude, so he tells us to choose it!
We are told to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
We must choose to be thankful (Colossians 3:15; Psalm 107:1). Always. (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17).
Yes, we all find it easier to complain than to compliment, to analyze before appreciate. But thanks be to God that we have His Word to guide us towards His way of living. Living gratefully.
So this Thanksgiving as we dwell on what we are thankful for, may we begin new patterns of responding as new creatures: Grateful Saints, not Grumpy Sinners.
And here in Uganda, on behalf of Sufficiency of Scripture Ministries, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your ongoing support. Many of you have been sustaining us with your prayers and finances for nearly two decades, and your gifts have not lost their significance over time. We are extremely thankful for your generosity and faithfulness each month and year.
We are thanking God for you this Thanksgiving!
Filled with Gratitude,
Shannon and Danielle
