Give Thanks: Learning to be grateful in all seasons.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CSB)… Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

When we demonstrate a “give thanks no matter what happens” attitude, we begin to change, and we begin to attract others to that change. As disciples of Jesus, when we grow and change into the image of Jesus, we begin to attract people to experience the “good news” of God’s Kingdom.

Read these words from the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome… “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1, 2)

Paul seems to be saying that with a changed mind, you will be able to discern what God considers good, what is pleasing to Him, and what His “perfect” will is for your life. Sadly, our minds are filled with so much information; some would say, junk! Old junk, new junk, stories, lies, labels, ideas, etc. In reality, we are more informed by our smartphones or our social media feeds or our favorite news channel than the Word of God.

I love this quote from Robin S. Sharma, “What we focus on grows, what we think about expands, and what we dwell on determines our destiny.” And this quote from Pastor Andy Stanley, “We become like the people we spend time with! Your friends determine the direction and quality of your life.” King Solomon spoke with similar ideas: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

Studies in neuroscience show that the brain produces chemicals from positive and negative experiences, ideas, and speech that change the neuro-pathways of our brain, which causes our thinking to be altered. Sections of the brain grow depending on what we are focused on. A study done at Northwestern University in this decade proved that the brainwaves of people begin to look identical to those people we spend time with… almost immediately. Just being next to people aligns our brain waves with them!

The Apostle Paul reminds us of this truth, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Is it possible to “give thanks in all circumstances?” I think it is, but it happens when our minds are renewed and changed to be more like Christ. More than just changed, but the exhortation to “have the mind of Christ”

1 Corinthians 2:15, 16… The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? It means we need to have the mindset of Jesus! Philippians 2:5… “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:” If you keep reading on in Philippians 2, you will discover Jesus’ mindset and realize He was Humble, Thoughtful, Sacrificial, Purposeful, Obedient to the Will of God, Patient. (Read Philippians 2:5-11)

Human behavioral studies show that what we think about for the first 15 minutes of the day determines the tone and direction of our day and impacts the way we interact with people. Start your day with Jesus and see what happens. Change your mind and seek to think like Jesus, so that whatever situation you find yourself in, you can “give thanks.”