Every day, we are surrounded by tokens of God’s love and enjoy the bounties of His providence. Yet, we often overlook these present blessings. Instead, our minds continually dwell on something disagreeable that we fear may come or on difficulties that, although small, blind us to the many things that demand our gratitude.
Many people, walking along the path of life, focus on their mistakes, failures, and disappointments, filling their hearts with grief and discouragement. This attitude can make us ungrateful for the Father’s unconditional love and the many benefits we enjoy through our union with Christ Jesus — His daily sustenance, tender mercy, compassion, and loving-kindness. Our attitude towards expressing gratitude is a sincere reflection of what we are focusing on: either the marvelous works of the Father in our lives or the destructive influences of Satan.
One weekend, I found myself in a garden, and someone who seemed to be the owner was guiding me through its paths. As I gathered flowers and enjoyed their fragrance, a sister walking beside me called my attention to some unsightly briers that were blocking her way. She was mourning and grieving. Instead of following the guide along the pathway, she chose to walk among the briers and thorns.
“Oh,” she lamented, “is it not a pity that this beautiful garden is spoiled with thorns?” The guide then said, “Let the thorns alone, for they will only hurt you. Gather the roses, lilies, and pinks.” Amidst the briers and thorns, a profitable way of exercising our will on God is giving all our focus to the Roses, Lilies, and Pinks.
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will joy in the God of mysalvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV
Our sacrifice of thanksgiving unto God is not defined by our abundance or lack but by the merit of our great salvation in Christ. Have there not been bright spots in your experience? Have you not had precious seasons when your heart throbbed with joy in response to the Spirit of God? When you look into the chapters of your life, don’t you find some pleasant pages? Are not God’s promises, like fragrant flowers, growing beside your path at every turn? Will you not let their beauty and sweetness fill your heart with joy?
The briers and thorns will only wound and grieve you; if you gather only these, you will lose the essence of the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Thank God for the bright pictures He presents to us. Consider the blessed assurances of His love and meditate on them continually: the Son of God leaving His Father’s throne, clothing His divinity with humanity to rescue man from the power of Satan; His triumph on our behalf, opening heaven to us, revealing the presence chamber of God’s glory to human vision; the fallen race uplifted from the pit of ruin into which sin had plunged it, and being brought into connection with the infinite God.
In Christ our Redeemer, we triumph through faith, clothed in His righteousness and exalted to His throne. This is the essence of our sacrifice of thanksgiving.
