Recently I have been trying to practice giving thanks to God throughout the day. When I get into my car, I would thank God for the car. When I walk to work, I would thank God for my job. After fellowship, I would thank God for the community of believers He has blessed me with. And as I practice doing so more, I realize that there is a difference between mere contentment and thankfulness.
A Realization
For the most part I’m pretty content with my life. If you asked me what I think about the life God has given me, I would say that I can’t ask for better, and I would really mean it. After all, I live in Southern California. I have an income. I enjoy my work (for the most part). I have family and friends who love me. I go to a wonderful church. I am not in chronic physical pain. I have the freedom to travel. Life, though not without difficulties, is pretty good overall.
However, I knew that something about my attitude was missing. Yes, I generally don’t complain and I am generally content with my portion, but I wasn’t grateful either. I lacked the sweet graciousness that I see in a lot of saints more mature than I (more prominently in sisters, I have to say). It is then that that I realized it is possible to be content without acknowledging God as the source of all good things. And the practical difference it makes is that when I’m merely content, I find enjoyment in the blessings themselves only. On the other hand, when I’m both content and thankful, I get to enjoy the goodness of the Lord, who gave me those blessings in the first place. I get to delight in a loving and generous God who very evidently loves me. Thankfulness is a means of experiencing God Himself.
Experiencing the Presence of God
When I drive on the 110 North, hurling through the freeway at the whopping speed of 65 miles an hour (I call myself a cautious driver), I am experiencing the goodness of God who blessed me with a car and the wonders of modern science and engineering. As I sit through a meeting with fellow mission team members, I am experiencing a God’s blessing in the form of fellowship with the saints. As I sit here on my church campus typing these words and find that I’m not in chronic bodily pain, I am presently experiencing God’s mercy. God is active. He is alive. He is at this very moment blessing me with grace I do not deserve. How can I ever doubt His presence?
God is invisible, but He can be perceived with the eyes of faith. And one way to exercise spiritual sight is to be thankful. Only those who are thankful can see God’s activity of blessing, protection, supplying, and guidance. Throughout my Christian life I have struggled a lot with the perceived absence of the Lord, even until now. God is surely there, living and actively blessing me. I just need to continuously contemplate how He is sustaining me and giving me good gifts in every detail of life. When I do so, I will see His footsteps and fingerprints all around.
