While sitting in an airport waiting for a delayed flight, I flipped open my Bible and started reading in Corinthians. Sometimes it is easy to read past the introductory verses, rather than read through them. So many of the Gospels start out similarly. My thoughts were to skim past this and get into the meat of the book.  And then I had to stop.

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Always thank God for you, you being brothers and sisters in Christ. I have to admit that thankfulness is a work in progress for me. Yes, I’ve grown in this area, but my natural tendencies lean toward critical analysis. I don’t even look for typos in letters, newspapers, and books. They just leap out at me. I’m the one circling the 27 misspellings and grammatical errors in the church bulletin. I have been known to send my doctor’s flier back to him (anonymously, until now) with a multitude of meandering punctuation marks highlighted for continuous quality improvement. I commiserate with Lynn Truss (Eats Leaves and Shoots) and have sat in bed laughing and crying over the condition of the semicolon. The errors on television screens, arghhh! Doesn’t anyone use spell check?

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Then there are all of the well-meaning, but incompetent people serving the Lord. How could anyone be in charge of the food for a church picnic and have 250 hamburger patties with 500 buns? Or lemonade that runs out after the first hour of a three hour party? Or booths set up for discussing ministry opportunities not 30 feet from the band’s (loud) speakers?

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Would Paul be always giving thanks if he had to actually live and serve with these people? Would he be so quick to give thanks when the church leaders failed to adequately communicate his next speaking event? How much thankfulness would be expressed when the church leaders failed to give him his due respect?

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So many times, thankfulness seems like it should be equated with forgiveness. When someone is sorry and expresses repentance, then you can forgive them. Likewise, if someone does a great job in ministry, then you can be thankful for them. But is that what God’s Word says?

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We are taught that forgiveness is an act that takes place independent of any action from the wrongdoer. Whether or not someone apologizes or makes restitution, we are commanded to forgive. A second look at this verse puts thankfulness on that same plane. ‘…always giving thanks because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.’

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It sounds like giving thanks is not equitable with actions or results, but rather an act of obedience to God for what He alone has done. 

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Author ~ Anne Fenske