A Perspective of Gratitude

Psalm 126
1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
4Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
5Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
6He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

As a young mother, I knew that one of my responsibilities was to teach my children to pray. It’s not difficult, for young children just seem to know how to lift their thoughts to God. In that process, I learned a valuable lesson. Children (hopefully) aren’t troubled by the cares of the world and so they bring God words of thanks. Yes, they may thank Him for things we would find too trivial, such as their stuffed frog and getting chocolate chip pancakes for supper. But I was always stunned by how many things they could come up that needed to be acknowledged as gifts from God. Even if they had something to ask God to do for them, they still always began their prayers with gratitude. We can take a lesson from these young believers.

These six verses acknowledge God as the giver of all good gifts. There aren’t any details listed. “The Lord has done great things for us.” And with those words, all the pilgrim’s fellow walkers would acknowledge in their hearts a long list of great things. Even when the life is not going well, there is always a reason to give God thanks. The Apostle Paul address the same concept in a very short sentence from his letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“. . . give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Notice it doesn’t say for all circumstances, but instead in all circumstances. I don’t have to be grateful for bad health. But I can be grateful for the fact that I live in a place where health care is available. I don’t have to be grateful that a dear family member has died, but I can be grateful for the time I had with them and the gift that God gave me in that relationship. Living inside of this Psalm is a matter of perspective. Are you wired for a negative response to circumstances, or do you instead look for a positive bent? Where is God in the midst of the pain? Clearly, the psalmist looked at God’s provision in the past and forward into His ability to bless in the future. Both are worthy of an expression of gratitude.

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