Photo: Pexels – Suzy Hazelwood

I have found as an imperfect pastor that thankfulness is absolutely essential for my spiritual and emotional health. Perhaps this applies more to glass half-empty type people, but I find it so easy to focus on the negatives in life and church life – the discouragements, the things that didn’t go well, the resources I wish I had or the church family had.

But I wonder if you’ve noticed: as you read Paul’s letters (and indeed retrace Jesus’s ministry on earth) you find very little disappointment, very little discouragement, very little complaint. Why is this?

Cultivating thankfulness

As a church family we’ve recently been considering Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and it’s striking how thankfulness is a theme running through the letter.  Paul begins, as he often does, by telling the Colossian Christians (who he’s never met and about whom he has some concerns) how much he’s thanking God for them:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.

Colossians 1:3-4, NIV

Paul finds much to thank God for in the Colossian Christians – in spite of the issues that they’re facing.

As the letter continues, Paul encourages the Colossians several times to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness to God. (See Colossians 2:7, 3:15, 3:17).

The ultimate source of that thankfulness is set out for us in Paul’s prayer for the Colossians:

Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:12-14, NIV

Through hearing the message of the gospel and responding in faith and repentance, the Colossian Christians have already been blessed more than they could ever have imagined, and more than any current setback could ever jeopardise – for they have been transferred into the kingdom of light, the glorious and blessed kingdom of God’s Son Jesus Christ. And that has ongoing consequences – they remain in his kingdom and will remain in his kingdom forever, assuming they continue in faith (Colossians 1:23).

Thankfulness is essential

So thankfulness is encouraged, and thankfulness is appropriate. I would also add that thankfulness is essential. A few years ago I was encouraged to start every day giving thanks to God for 10 things. I duly did so, and was amazed at the difference it made to my outlook on life. I began to see the positives, the good things, the blessings. And once I began to see them, I saw that there were so many of them.

As I look through my recent lists I see reference to individuals growing in their faith and serving faithfully; organisations doing good and important work; the multitude of spiritual blessings we enjoy; family members; good health; birdsong; the chance for exercise; good coffee…  If I had more time, perhaps with Matt Redman I would be spending each day giving thanks for 10,000 things.

So: How is your thankfulness? And if the answer is ‘not great’ – how can you cultivate it further?