CONFESSIONS OF A THANKFUL PASTOR

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18)

In 1863, president Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation reminding the nation of the blessings which they have enjoyed by the hand of Almighty God. Bear in mind that when he wrote this the War Between the States was in full swing. Yet, Lincoln seemed to understand Paul's command to "give thanks in all circumstances." 

"In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy." (Click HERE to read the full address)

I think Lincoln nailed it. We have a merciful God whom we often fail to thank for not dealing with us according to our sins. (Psalm 103:10) Especially when times are good and we enjoy the prosperity and bounty of his blessings, we forget God so easily. Learning to give thanks even in trying times is so vital to being a thankful people in general. If we can't see the blessings of God when times are hard, we won't see the blessings of God when everything is going well. 

I was reminded of this recently when a pastor friend of mine asked for prayer for some very difficult situations in his congregation. Yet even as he asked for prayer, he stated: I'm giving all this to the Lord and at peace, believe it or not. But at any moment it would be very easy to slip into a variety of negative emotions." 

It was when I read this that I realized how blessed and thankful I am to be the pastor of Grace Community Church. We have little to no controversy, feuds or strife because love, unity and joy in Christ abounds. On top of that, I received a phone call from a recent out-of-town visitor. She expressed her gratitude for Grace Community Church, for the friendliness, the welcome, the spirit of worship and the preaching of the Word. I can’t tell you how blessed I was to hear this and so thankful for each of you because this reflected the congregation’s love for Jesus and for each other which every pastor wants to see in his congregation.

Yet I must confess I struggle to give thanks in all circumstances.  I still look out on Sunday and allow empty seats to discourage me, rather than be thankful for whom God did bring. I am sure I am not alone. Discontentment and complaining is far too easy to slip into for many of us. So I am taking this time to give God thanks for each of you. Thank you for being such a loving, warm and inviting congregation. Thank you for the love you demonstrate towards one another, to the hurting and broken who come through our doors, and to me and my family. I do not profess to be very good at my calling, but I love being your pastor. I am so thankful that in spite of my many flaws and my weakness, Jesus is pleased to use me each week, often to my utter amazement. Wow - God is so good to us! God is so good to me!

May he continue to manifest his love and goodness to us in 2016 and beyond. May we continue to give him thanks in all circumstances with full assurance that since we are in Christ, the very worst that could ever happen to us happened to Jesus instead. Whatever else may happen in this world full of trials and pain, we have every reason to give thanks to the Lord! Amen!