The Lens of Thankfulness

A decade ago, my husband and I voluntarily resigned from our pastoral positions on a church staff to enter a deliberate season of sabbatical and waiting. It was clear that we were to wait on God until He revealed His next steps in our lives. We had no idea how long this season would last…it turned out to be 15 months.

We knew that our lack of a consistent church-family connection put us at risk emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, so we established an accountability group. We met monthly with five Christian couples who knew us well. We kept them informed of our activities and solicited their advice about major decisions we were making. A big part of each meeting included prayers of thankfulness from the group on our behalf, as they helped us notice the many ways God was preparing us for what might come next. In the midst of this season of uncertainty…in a time when the future looked very murky and it would have been easy to be overwhelmed by anxiety…they reminded us of the patterns of God’s continuing goodness. 

These relationships were built on years of walking through life together, so we knew that these couples all had a deep-seated faith in Jesus. As a result, we were able to receive their words not as admonitions to “buck up”, but as words from the Lord, They not only offered prayers of thankfulness over us, but encouraged us to keep “gratitude journals” so we could notice – and later remember – all that God had done for us.

This advice was profound, because we were struggling with many things: sadness at the loss of our positions and the sense of purpose we found in pastoral ministry…bitterness over things that happened during our tenure at the church…and wondering when God would release us to serve again.

Because of our accountability group, and their focus on thankfulness, we did not descend into a downward spiral. Without their influence, we could have dwelled too much on our past wounds and become far more negative. We could have become desperate to resolve the discomfort of being between jobs, which would have shifted the focus from God’s plan to our wants. Instead, we were able to trust God and wait on His timing. 

To thankfully, patiently wait on Him. 

This time in our lives was so pivotal, because it showed us how thankfulness alters our perspective. Instead of pursuing the things we want (control, security, things to turn out perfectly according to our desires), we find it easier to pursue God. To strive to enter his presence and hear his voice.

Our accountability group helped us realize that thankfulness – particularly thankfulness toward God – is a healthy lens through which to view our lives. The lens of thankfulness is so much better than other lenses, such as bitterness or fear. 

As I look back at that year of transition we faced, I am thankful for that difficult but amazing season where God was so present in the unknown of our lives. I learned to have greater security and peace not in my circumstances, but in God’s provision and presence. 

Thankfulness also reminds us of our dependence on God, because we’re acknowledging who he is, what he has done, and what he is doing right now. Expressing our thankfulness to God therefore helps cultivate within us a greater experience of God’s peace. 

Are there times when you tempted to “go negative”, rather than cultivate a sense of thankfulness? What might it look like – what steps could you take – to be more able to view your own life through the lens of thankfulness? 

Let me pray for you as you step into your day. Lord, I pray that those reading this post would risk trusting you more because you love them and are at work in their lives. May they develop a greater sense of thankfulness seeking to embrace the words of Colossians 3:15-17: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” May this lens – the lens of thankfulness – help them to see their own lives in a fresh way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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