How to be thankful when there seems to be nothing to be thankful for

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Around this time of year, someone will ask, "What are you thankful for?" It might be the preacher, it might be the teacher, but somewhere, in some setting, this question will come up. Preachers and teachers seem unable to resist the temptation to have a Thanksgiving sermon or a Thanksgiving lesson. This question might even come up around the table in some families.

Some people observe Thanksgiving because the day provides an opportunity for families to get together and eat with other members of the family, a practice perhaps not frequently engaged in otherwise. Believing families will probably say prayers of thanksgiving to God. On the other hand, there are people who don't have families or anything to eat. What do they have to be thankful for? Usually, somewhere there will be a free community meal. (People and non-profit agencies get generous around the holidays.) But still, what about the lonely, the homeless, the unemployed, the widows, the orphans?

"In everything give thanks..."

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica that thanksgiving "in everything" was God's will for people. Some may find this counter-intuitive, to say the least. How do people give thanks if their loved ones are dying, or they have recently lost their job, or they are experiencing depression? What if they have lost the love of their life, or a favorite pet has died, or their parents are getting divorced? The list goes on.

Everybody can think of terrible things individuals and families go through. You may be going through something terrible right now. This time of the year, especially, when everyone is talking about feeling thankful and expressing thankfulness could seem to make matters worse for those who are suffering any hardship or injustice.

How to be thankful when there seems to be nothing to be thankful for

For a person going through painful trials, the most difficult part of the problem is the feeling of heaviness and the seeming impossibility of changing those feelings. This is when to start being thankful, even without faith in God or belief in a Savior who came to earth to make known the love of a Heavenly Father.

Everyone has heard the old adage, "Count your blessings." If you haven't done that lately, now is a good time. Begin with air, take a breath. Breathe again. Notice the sky, a sunrise, a sunset, sunshine, a crisp breeze. Being thankful for what one has is the first step toward freedom from obsessing about what one does not have. And, better still, if you have something to share with others, do that, because helping others is something else God appreciates.