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Cultivating a Thankful Heart
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
The above passage is at the heart of thanksgiving. The Bible instructs us to do all things without complaining and disputing.[1] The grumbler does not see good in what he or she is doing. A complainer has a hot head and a cold heart.
When we are in this state, we don’t recognize the goodness of God’s hand. When we find ourselves in a difficult, uncomfortable, or even a painful situation, we say, “God why? Why did you let this happen? Why did you do this? Why don’t you fix it?” Or the most common complaint, “Why do I always have to….”
If you’ve read the story of the Exodus, you know how God delivered the Jewish people from the oppression of Pharaoh. God took them from slavery, delivered them from the pursuing army, and sent them through the desert as they journeyed toward the promise of their inheritance. It was an inheritance guaranteed by God’s own covenant with their forefather, Abraham.
When the people became thirsty, God gave them water. When they were hungry, God sent manna from heaven. The Lord met every need, yet the people couldn’t see God’s hand in their lives. They could only see the sand of the desert. They complained about the food, the journey, the leadership, and the things they left behind. The very people who cried out to God for deliverance from the hard bondage of slavery began to say, “Oh that we were back in Egypt.” Some even formed a party and prepared to return back to the land of bondage.
Their unthankful hearts not only blinded them to God’s grace, but it also caused them to forget what they had escaped from. What originally had been intended as a few weeks of journeying toward an inheritance, suddenly appeared as less desirable than a lifetime of bondage.
We look back at the foolishness of these people and are amazed they could be so blind. Yet this is the picture of the Christian life. We were under the bondage of sin, but God delivered us, defeated Satan, and set us on a journey through the desert. We often forget, this Christian life is a journey through the desert of this world. The Bible says, “Blessed is the one whose strength is in you, whose heart is on a pilgrimage.”[2]
Is your heart on a pilgrimage? Are you living life as though you are journeying toward something better? Or do you look at this life as the prize? This directly affects how we respond to the circumstances of life.
There are times when the journey seems long and tiring. Sometimes we are uncomfortable, miserable, and want something different. It is during those times when we have to stop and think about not only where we are, but consider where we are going. This is why the Bible says to adopt the attitude of Christ. For the joy set before Jesus, He endured the cross even though He despised its shame.[3] The shame didn’t disappear, nor did Jesus escape the thing He despised. He endured it, not because he changed His circumstances, but because He looked beyond that to the goal – our reconciliation and redemption.
We are also in the same position each time we are in the midst of circumstances we don’t like. Though it may not be as severe as the cross, we become weary when we forget where we are going. When we forget we are on a pilgrimage – a journey through a land that isn’t our destination – we can easily become discouraged. Don’t try to make the desert your home. Life can be hard, but there are times of refreshing. However, this refreshment is to prepare us for the next leg of the journey. Let’s look at the wonderful thoughts of King David’s journey in Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
Take a moment to reflect on this passage. First, we are being led somewhere. Like Israel in the desert, God is leading us from a life of being bound by sin and worthless passions to the promised home He has prepared for us. Take to heart the words of Jesus, “I go to prepare a place for you and will come again to receive you.” That is our destination. We live in a fallen world and even if we could control every aspect of our lives, the world around us would still be fallen, and it would fall short of what God has prepared for us.
Take note of verses two and three in Psalms above. They are the preparation for verse four. God restores our soul and gives us good things and times of renewal, but this isn’t our reward. It is the rest for the next leg of the journey.
When we forget this, we begin murmuring when our Shepherd leads us into the valley. That valley can be ugly. It can be fearful. It can cast the shadow of death all around us. Yet, we must pass through the valley because it’s between us and our destination.
Even in the horrible valley, there is still peace and comfort – if we have eyes to see it. We can rest in the comfort that God is with us and protects us. As David expressed, though he walks in the valley, he doesn’t fear – for God protects with His rod and staff. The rod is a weapon, the staff is correction. When a sheep drifts off course, the staff had a hooked end and the shepherd would reach out and stop the sheep from walking into danger. The rod is the weapon the shepherd used against predators who threatened the sheep.
What should be a great encouragement is that even in the valley, with enemies all around, God prepares a table before us where we can dine and have fellowship with Him. This isn’t the time of refreshing we’ll experience when we arrive to the next green pasture. This is the strength and encouragement of God’s fellowship in the midst of turmoil.
The enemies may be around us, but we still experience fellowship with our God. The enemy could be people, hazards, hardships, or our own internal struggles. Yet as we allow God to lead us through this valley, we are renewed in the midst of hardship. We may still be in our difficulties, but not without the strength and fellowship of our God. There is a peace of God which can be found in the midst of any valley. But we must have eyes of faith in order to see it.
Stay Focused on Joy
Now let’s go back to the historical illustration of our Christian journey – Israel’s journey through the desert. They truly only had two options, return to bondage, or journey through the desert. Nothing good can come from returning to Egypt, just as nothing good can come from abandoning our pilgrimage of faith and returning to living for the world.
Why were so many tempted to abandon God’s leading? They lost sight of where they were going and began to focus on where they were and what they wanted now.
There is a firm truth in this historical biblical illustration. God gave us the historical account of Israel for a reason – it is our example.[4] They missed the promise because they could only see what they had lost and what they were going through. Quickly they forgot the promise of where they were journeying to and they forgot the bondage of where they had come from.
We do the same thing with sin. When we forget the harm it caused in our lives, we then look at it as if it were a benefit. We crave it because we forget how it desires to rule over us. Temptation is a call to submit back into the slavery of the flesh. This is what Israel faced. They forgot the hardship they left and only looked at the things they craved. They forgot the promise of where they were going, so they could only see the hardship of the journey. They forgot to be thankful for God’s daily provision, and the joy of what He was leading them toward.
Hardship seems pointless if there is no joy before us. Joy causes us to look beyond our circumstances (as Christ did) and to the reward on the other side. I know I’m repeating this illustration, but it’s important for us to fully grasp the purpose of joy. Jesus endured the cross, not because He wanted the cross. He despised it. Three times He begged for another way,[5] yet He endured for the joy set before Him.
Hebrews 12:3 reminds us to look at this very example so we do not become weary in our souls. If you forget the joy, you will grow weary in the journey. But if you look at the joy set before you, endurance will come from the Lord. Don’t forget the promise we looked at earlier, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”[6]
Joy is not like happiness. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. If I get a new job or pay raise, I’m happy. A house or car makes me happy for a moment. Anytime I get what I want, I’m happy for a short time. But what happens when my marriage has trials, my job becomes stressful, or my car breaks down? Any time circumstances take a turn for the worse, I’m no longer happy.
Circumstances can’t rob me of joy – unless I put my hope in something other than Christ. Joy is not looking at what I have, but at the promises of the Lord. Some of those promises will be revealed in this lifetime, but most will not. The promise of God is eternal. Our promise is like the Promised Land God gave to the Jews. Many didn’t believe and never found the promise, but God raised a people who would enter. They journeyed long and hard to reach the promise. It was their rest. We too are journeying to a promise. Our promise is not this fallen world. Many promises do apply to this life, but ‘the promise’ applies to the day when we finish this journey and our faith becomes sight.
I’ve said all of this to lay the foundation of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the health of the Christian soul. Unless we understand the pilgrimage of our lives, we won’t have a solid foundation in which to understand thankfulness. When thankfulness is dependent upon positive circumstances, our hearts will fall short of this command.
Yes, thanksgiving is a command, and understandably so. If God provides the miracle of manna in the desert, is it too much to expect a heart of gratitude from a people who would have otherwise starved?
When did the people begin to despise God’s provisioning of manna? They grew tired of eating it because they looked back to where they had come from and said, “They are eating better than we are.” They should have looked forward and said, “When we get to the promise, we’ll have a land flowing with milk and honey.” One attitude looks at what we don’t have. The other attitude looks at what God promises we will have. Neither attitude changes the circumstances, but one acknowledges God’s goodness and provision while the other despises what God is doing.
Thanksgiving is rooted in faith – believing the promises of God. This attitude of thanksgiving changes the way each of us approach life and our relationship with God.
Be Thankful – all things work for good!
Romans 8:27-28
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
What does it mean that all things work together for our good? The first thing we must understand is how good should be defined. In our human nature, we tend to measure goodness based on how we feel or whether we are getting what we want. We define ‘good’ based on life in this world, but God defines ‘good’ based on eternity.
When it comes to difficult circumstances, if it doesn’t make me feel good, I don’t think of it as good. If I lose my job, I’ll come home and say, “I have bad news.” From the temporary perspective, hardship always looks bad. Yet there are bad things in my life where I look back and realize it was indeed good. I can look back and see how circumstances forced me to go where I didn’t want to go, but I now see the goodness of God in those circumstances. And how what I thought was a bad problem was actually a door for God to bless me in ways I would never have experienced.
This is true for our life in this world, but how much more true is this in our life to come. God will sacrifice your temporal comfort for your eternal good. We may look at painful situations as tragedies, but that’s because we are measuring things against our perceived needs and desires. These desires are felt through a body of flesh that can only understand a temporary world and short-term comfort.
Shortsighted human nature looks at our situation and compares it to what we believe will make us happy. A thankful heart looks at the promise in the scripture above and compares it to our circumstances, then understands that because God is working all things to our good, the end result will always be good. The truth is all good things have their roots in the heart of God; therefore, to find good we have to be in the will of God. And we have to trust Him enough to abide in Him and obey, regardless of how we feel.
When I walk in my own ways, I can never have confidence that hardship is for my good. Without discovering the heart of God and His love toward me, I also cannot understand what is truly good.
Good is measured against God and His eternal purposes, not against my feelings or comfort. Many times God’s good will indeed make me happy, but sometimes it does not. That’s because what I think is good isn’t always good. The path I think is right doesn’t always lead to what is right. I can only see the short term view of what appears good, but the Lord sees all things, for He sees the end from the beginning, and is able to turn even the most difficult circumstance into a blessing. The Lord will also take us through difficulties in order to obtain the greater blessing.
God will test you. God will allow things into your life that will challenge your faith and attempt to rob you of joy and thanksgiving. He does so only after giving us the power to endure and the faith to believe. Faith is hoping for what is not yet seen.[7] The one who begins to grumble will not see the fullness of God’s blessing. They will often miss the promise that can only be received by faith. Let’s go back to our illustration of the desert for an example.
After enduring many hardships, God took the children of Israel to the edge of the promise. God did not require faith until the time came to inherit the Promised Land. The Lord delivered a faithless people from the land of bondage. He defeated the army which pursued them after they left. He fed them with manna and provided water from a rock. He covered them from the heat by a cloud and met their every need. All the while, God told them He was taking them to the land of promise. Then one day they arrived. Standing on the bank of a river, the people camped while God instructed twelve men to go and spy out the land. It was a test of their faith.
Twelve spies explored the land and returned with their report. Their word was, “Everything is just as God described it. The land is truly flowing with milk and honey as God promised. But – there are giants in the land and we cannot stand against them.” As the people heard the report of the dangers which threatened them, they wept in disappointment, and then revolted. They refused to cross the river because of the hardships and trials that looked threatening.
What did God do? He sent them back into the desert. They couldn’t inherit the promise because they trusted the circumstances over the Lord. Is this not what we do? How many seemingly faithful Christians turned back because the road was too hard? Indeed it is too hard. It’s supposed to be. God is calling us to go where we cannot go and do what we cannot do by our own strength. Facing the giants on our own leads to certain defeat, for they are greater than we are. But they are not greater than the Shepherd who leads us.
He leads us into the valley to prove our faith. Those who emerge on the other side do so because they have learned to trust God in the storms of life. Those who don’t, turn back and never discover what God had for them. But all good is found within God’s purposes, not our own.
Thankfulness is not looking at circumstances and problems, but looking to God to lead us through and believing His promise that good awaits beyond our hardships. Consider Psalm 139:14-18
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
Do you realize that God formed you as you are? And fashioned the days of your life before you were born? When Moses struggled to trust God because of his speech impediment, God said, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?”
You mean God is behind my physical struggles? According to God’s own words, yes. Why is someone born blind, unattractive, beautiful, imperfect, weak, or strong? This isn’t for us to fully know, but one thing we do know, God has it as part of His plan. Just as God used Moses as a leader of Israel, who spoke before kings in spite of his speech problems, God also uses us to accomplish His purposes in spite of our shortcomings. If anything, our shortcomings become a blessing because we learn what it means to depend on God and not our own abilities.
Does this mean life should be easy? Certainly not. Overcoming is difficult. If it were not so challenging, Jesus would not have said the greatest promises are “To him who overcomes.” Him refers to both men and women, for it is in reference to mankind in the general sense. Overcoming is a challenge, and it isn’t something we have fully accomplished until we are standing firm on the rock of Christ and walking in God’s will.
The Apostle Paul had a physical problem which deeply troubled him. It was something related to his appearance because he praised the church of Galatia for not rejecting him because of it. After three times of begging God for healing, the Lord showed this was of God and served to make Paul weak so he could experience God’s strength.
Each weakness or limitation we have only serves to reveal God’s power in us – for as Paul said, “Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. When I am weak, then I am strong.”[8]
We depend upon ourselves when we feel confident and strong, but when we are in need, we depend upon God. That is when we discover true strength – when we get out of the way and allow God to reveal Himself through us.
When we acknowledge our weakness before God, His strength becomes our foundation. This same truth applies to any circumstance in our lives that we cannot handle. Rather than crumbling under the weight of our problems or grumbling against God for our circumstances, we must learn to cast our cares upon the Lord. Learn to be strong in Him, acknowledge our weaknesses, and take confidence in His strength.
Rejoice Always
1 Peter 1:6-9
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.
Rejoicing and having a heart of thanksgiving does not mean we deny that problems exist. Though we may be grieved by various trials, the heart founded upon a genuine faith has the ability to rejoice in God through these trials. Once again, the rejoicing is possible by looking beyond our struggles and to the coming promise that will one day be revealed.
Giving thanks in all things doesn’t mean I have to thank God for the pain I may have to endure; it’s to thank God for what lies beyond the pain and heartache. It’s the realization that trials are for the perfecting of the saints. Through these hardships, I know I will experience something greater than what I lost. Let’s look ahead to the Apostle Peter’s explanation in 1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
What are we being called to rejoice in? The trial? No. We are rejoicing that we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings so we also may be partakers of His glory. Throughout the scriptures, we are promised if we are faithful, we’ll inherit the Kingdom of God, reign with Christ, and receive every promise in scripture. Add to that, God hasn’t yet revealed all that awaits us. But just as was the case with those wandering through the desert, if we turn from God during the trials, we miss the promise.
A murmuring spirit doesn’t acknowledge God is working for our good. What a loss it will be if we endure life with bitterness and never profit from what we have to endure. God’s goal is not to merely try us for the sake of trials, but to bring about good and lead us to the glory yet to be revealed. Let’s add one more passage to help explain one of the purposes of trials. Look at Hebrews 12:27-28
27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Many things are shaken for the purpose of proving what is of God and what is not – such as the earth, the church, and us as individuals. Our spiritual lives are founded upon the immovable rock of Christ. However, our lives in the flesh are not. When circumstances shake our lives, anything that is not of God is shaken. Anything secure in the Spirit remains unshakeable. Sometimes trials prove us – whether we are truly in the Spirit. Other times it is to shake loose the things of the flesh – for the flesh can’t remain unshaken when tried.
Often times we think we are spiritual, but we are still carrying the burden of the flesh in many areas. Trials shake these things free. The person who is clinging to the flesh will fight against God because they are unwilling to allow the Lord to shake loose the fleshly things of their heart.
Other times we may sorrow, but still trust Him as He prunes our lives. As we grow in the faith, we’ll learn what Peter is teaching – to rejoice in the trials knowing God is purifying our souls.
When an unexpected tragedy strikes, does it catch God off guard? No. He has already made a way through the trial and has His goodness prepared to be received on the other side. At times God has prepared a miraculous deliverance, and other times we must endure trials. To us who are called and following God’s purposes, all things work for our good.
If a circumstance threatens us and is not something God is using for our good, He will deliver us from it. If He does not deliver, it is something which will produce good in our lives – either now, or for our eternal good. It’s God’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom.[9] Sometimes part of our old life has to be removed so we can receive the Kingdom and new life.
Now let us consider Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
The one body referred to in this passage is the collection of all believers. We are one body, the people of God. Though we have many churches and denominations, anyone who belongs to Christ is part of the body of Christ, the universal church. Church unity begins the same way a thankful heart begins – by letting the peace of God rule in our hearts. Peace rules when there is nothing else on the throne but Christ. Thankfulness is once again at the center of the right attitude and a heart of peace.
A thankful heart is a trusting heart. Trust produces thanksgiving. It does so because our faith opens our eyes to see beyond the circumstances to the goodness God is working. Even if we don’t see how our individual hardship is going to be resolved, we still can look ahead to the goodness of God, knowing He is leading us to every promise.
One truth must always be at the forefront. God seeks my good. Because this is true, my current situation is part of God’s plan to deliver His goodness into my life. I may only see the valley, but I can look back and see the good He has already done, look ahead to the promises of what He will do, and then be assured that beyond the valley is a goodness He will bring. I don’t have to see it to hope for it. I merely have to believe His word.
This is why God instructs me to come before Him with prayers and supplications with thanksgiving. I can be thankful, even when I don’t see beyond my next step. Is it hard to be thankful when things seem difficult? You bet it is.
Anyone can have faith when the road is smooth. Everyone is thankful when getting what they want. But faith is proven when the road is difficult and the only good I see is the promise of the word. Then I know it lies ahead and I can be thankful even as I present my prayers for God’s strength during my hardship. While I pour out my grief before Him, I can also be thankful and rejoice in what He is leading me toward. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 explains:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
If you can’t give thanks in everything, it is not possible to fully experience the will of God in your life.
If you and I can live by this passage, we will do well. It is through these things God gives us the promise that His peace will guard our hearts and minds through Christ. How would it change our lives if we consistently practiced the above passage – even when we don’t feel like it? Even when we don’t understand?
Learn to cultivate a thankful heart and you will accomplish God’s will and experience the fullness of joy. It’s a promise. Rejoice in that promise!
Life Applications
- Do you find yourself grumbling? Let this remind you to take your eyes off the circumstance and look ahead to the promises of God.
- Memorize Hebrews 12:1-3
- Think about something God has promised that gives you hope. When something troubles your heart, practice dealing with the problem while keeping your focus on what gives you hope and joy.
- Memorize Romans 8:27-28
- Take time out to thank God for the good you see.
- Meditate on your life. Think of the good things which show God’s hand. Think about the times when problems ended up leading you to a blessing. Consider these things when you see problems today.
- Let God shake loose the things He is removing.
- Set ten minutes aside each day to thank God for all things. Name the good and the things He is using for a future good.
- Learn to rejoice in the Lord always.
- When troubled, rejoice in the promises and His refining process.
- When happy, rejoice in the time of refreshing.
- Take time to review previous Life Applications.
[1] Philippians 2:14
[2] Psalm 84:5
[3] Hebrews 12:2
[4] 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11; Hebrews 4:11
[5] Matthew 26:39
[6] Nehemiah 8:10
[7] Romans 8:24-26
[8] 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
[9] Luke 12:32