I have a habit I need to break. I started this habit because I did not want to seem boastful or arrogant. I adopted a phrase that I need to change. When people greet me, I have started to use the expression, “I have nothing to complain about.” It seems innocent enough, “No complaints here.” What a negative way to view the world… On the surface, these phrases sound great, but when you think about the deeper meaning, it suggests I am searching for something to complain about and am coming up without an answer. There should be a positive anecdote; instead of looking for complaints, we should look for a blessing and share that with those around us.
At some point on Thursday, most of us will gather around a table, hold hands, and thank God for some element of our lives. Some of us have a lot to be thankful for, while others are merely thankful for their portion of daily bread (Matthew 6:11). We live in a culture of plenty, yet paradoxically surrounded by a culture that struggles to find blessings, even though they are abundant.
As Paul writes to the church in Philippi, he informs them that being thankful and rejoicing is not situationally dependent. We are consumed or preoccupied with the events of the day or the direction of our lives; however, the way of a Christian is to rise above the harsh realities of the world around us.
[Philippians 4:4–7, 11–13 – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. … 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Twice in this passage, Paul reminds this group that our attitudes in ‘every situation’ and ‘whatever the circumstance’ we are in are to be unwavering. This provides some context that an attitude of thankfulness is not an instinctive reflex but a honed skill. We have the power to choose to focus on the blessings as opposed to the misfortunes around us. It is like a muscle that we must exercise and build, and we have control over how often we exercise it.
It also means that we should reflect on these blessings often. We observe the world through a lens of peaceful contentment, all under the umbrella of Christ. In this passage, Christ guards our hearts and minds and strengthens us in every circumstance. When we arrive at these attitudes, we become unshakable, knowing that Christ secures us in every facet of our lives. Whether we have a lot or if we only have a little, whether we should be worried or confident, it is all the same in and because of Christ, who strengthens us.
This is our reality; it requires us to exercise that muscle. Search for your blessings. Recognize, highlight, and share them with those around you. This Thanksgiving, grab a hand and count your blessings. Instead of looking for the absence of complaints, announce how God has positively blessed your life, and humbly announce that in all circumstances we can praise God from whom All Blessings Flow.