“I’m Thankful!” Are You Sure?

I found that true gratitude is related to true faith.

The time on my computer reads 3:58 a.m., and my sleepy mind says my body clock is two minutes ahead of my alarm. But with only a couple minutes left before the alarm rings, my instinct tells me I shouldn’t go back to sleep. And so I find myself musing over some things that happened to me in the past few weeks.

A time of both fasting and feasting

Looking back, I feel like God was fulfilling His promise to “pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). Material blessings were continuously pouring in. My loved ones were in good health. There were no job-related issues.

My life just seemed so smooth-sailing. I felt so relaxed, and I was enjoying every moment of it. It was as if I was on a “fast”—I was fasting from anxieties, troubles and trials. At the same time I was also on a “feast”—I was feasting on calmness, order and comfort.

And so I could not stop thanking God. Each day, my prayers were mostly filled with gratitude.

But I noticed something wrong during these problem-free and happy days. I was in high spirits, but after a short while, I was mumbling the words, “This could be much better if” and “I could be happier if …”

I was suddenly reminded of the things I was lacking. Everything appeared to fall into place, except for one thing: an “unanswered prayer.” In a snap of the fingers, my feeling of thankfulness was gone that quick. And worse, a feeling of discontentment clouded my thinking.

A measure of faith

I tried to clear my thoughts and process my emotions. Yes, I was thankful, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, because I was conscious of the benefits I have received.

After reading 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” I came to the realization that I was not fulfilling this instruction. I believe I must be thankful for both the things I have received and those I haven’t yet. This includes those unanswered prayers and personal desires that I’ve been longing to be given, where God may be saying “not yet” or “that’s not the route I want you to take.”

Upon further thought, I also realized how closely thankfulness relates to faith. What dawned on me was that these two concepts go hand in hand. As faith entails believing God has already heard my prayers about things I have not yet received or have not seen happen (Hebrews 11:1), then under this spiritual magnifying glass, I saw that I needed to be thankful as well as faithful.

And, with this realization, this time when I say “I’m thankful!” I can be sure.

Cathy Castillano is from Tacloban City, Philippines.

For more about thankfulness and about faith, see:

• Make Every Day a Day of Thanksgiving!
• Give Thanks for Fleas?
• What Is Faith?