Thankfulness

by

Pastor B.J. Knefley

Thankfulness, what does that look like? How would you define it? Do you have it? Have you ever had it? Does it come and go or is it a constant in your life. God says to be thankful in all things. How do you do that when your world is falling apart?

Let’s face it; sometimes it seems really hard to be thankful. I’ve met a lot of people who are struggling with life. The list of possible tragedies abound. They can happen at anytime, they can happen to anyone. For everyone that comes into this world, there will be an exit date as well. Some have referred to this as their dash. That is the time between the date of their birth to the date of their death. Although those dates are important, they are not as important as how you’ve lived you’re dash.

Some let the troubles of this world define them. Bitterness, anger and disparity engulf their life. I get it, trust me I do. There are bad things that happen to good people, especially children. Physical and sexual abuse happens to many, both boys and girls. Hurts that come in the form of betrayal, rejection, and abandonment know no boundaries. If you’re alive today then you experienced at least one of these or something that I haven’t mentioned. The point? We live in a fallen world, it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse. Don’t believe me? Listen to the news on any given day and it’s filled with evil. It seems that it overshadows the good that is also going on.

Thankfulness must be cultivated. It must come from a place of choice, regardless of our surroundings. It means you get up when you’re knocked down and try again. The bumps and bruises of life do not define us; we’re defined by how we respond to them. Ultimately it always comes down to choice. We must choose to be thankful and walk in an attitude of thankfulness. It’s not that we forget about the pain and hurts, it’s that we’re not going to be defined by them. How do I know all this? I’ve lived it. I know what it means to be hurt, abused and battered. But I also know it is those very same things that have made me what I am today. Think about it.