Every day I form two (often unconscious) mental lists: things I am thankful for and things I am not thankful for. The things I am thankful for usually involve some sort of pleasure (or absence of pain). The things I am not thankful for usually involve some sort of pain (or absence of pleasure). So on the first list I have things like the following:Great Breakfast this morning (except for the missing sausage)
Carpal tunnel syndrome not acting up.
Blood sugar levels OK.
No current arguments with wife that I know of.
Completed woodworking project without dismemberment.
No need for Prilosec or Imodium before or after breakfast.
The second list is easy. Just negativize the stuff on the positive list and add a few more for dramatic effect like the following:
Woke up and forgot why.
Noticed less hair on my head for the Lord to number—this might be on the Lord's "thankful" list.
Left the sock drawer open for the millionth time which was pointed out by my wife for the zillionth time.
My son, Jason, in whom I delight, ate one of my little sausages to punish me because I was 30 seconds late in coming to the breakfast table after the breakfast bell had been rung—for the millionth time, according to Jason.
Spent half the day meeting with "clients" with my zipper down.
Went to bed with the garage door wide open which, if my wife finds out, will subject me to an intense lecture on how I failed to be the protector of the family against all the dark evils of this world.
According to one leading source of all knowledge (i.e., weekeysomethingorother), the systematic study of gratitude (i.e., thankfulness) within the realm of psychology is a rather recent thing—owing to the fact that psychology is vastly more interesting (like the news) when it deals with how deranged we humans are. In addition to my criteria for what I may or may not be thankful for, the findings of these recent studies on gratitude tell us that gratitude happens when the thing we experience is perceived as (1) important to us, (2) costly to the one who gave it to us, and (3) coming from the one who gave it to us with a "no strings attached" benevolence. For the most part, I agree with the three points of gratitude, but what are we suppose to do with the "in everything give thanks" admonition? How is it that everything, including the gut/soul wrenching experiences in life, is the will of God for us and, therefore, something to be thankful for?
The thing about the word "everything" is it doesn't leave much room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. It's similar to verses like "ALL things work together for the good" (Rom.8:28), "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS..." (Phil. 4:4), and "NEVER will I leave you; NEVER will I forsake you." (Heb.13:5). And because there is no room for misinterpretation, than it becomes a matter of simple perception, or more accurately, simple faith.
If God says to give thanks in EVERYTHING because it's His will for us in Christ Jesus then simple faith tells us that whatever the thing is (good or bad) it's allowed by God and, therefore, it's ultimately good for us (i.e., valuable), it cost Jesus something to give it to us (or at least allow it to happen to us), and it's given out of sheer grace with no ulterior motives—like the sun and rain that shines and falls on the good and the evil.
Now about painful stuff: emotional, physical, psychological, internal, external, spiritual, etc. When painful stuff happens it leaves us with a simple dilemma: will we or won't we believe that it's covered under the "EVERYTHING" clause? If everything that happens is the will of God (both painful and pleasurable stuff), then it must be for our benefit. It must cost Jesus something to give it to us. And it must be given in the way the Father in heaven cares for all His creation. If I can't see how something passes the 3-part perception of blessing test, then the problem is with my perception (my faith) and not with the blessing.
Much of life this side of heaven will be spent learning how to see the things that are unseen; i.e., learning how to see the blessing in the midst of the all the brokenness. Yes, we believe, but Lord help us in our unbelief. Yes, we smile when you give blessings (or takes away trials), and we say "Blessed be your name," but God grant us the grace to smile (or at least keep from cussing) when you take blessings (or gives trials), and help us to still say "Blessed be your name!" Amen!
Under Grace,
Martin
p.s. Can you guess which list the pic above belongs to?
Martin: I am beginning to see from a great distance this place where pain can honestly be understood as a blessing, if only "the fellowship of his sufferings." Something in me prefers viewing it from a great distance, because going there doesn't sound like much fun. But it appears I'm being sucked as if by a great magnet, and picking up steam every minute. It doesn't help much that my soul seems to like the idea – each time I get a momentary glimpse of the place, something in me relaxes a little. I think I'm dead meat.
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