"Thankful Or Not?"

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20

Are you a thankful person or a complaining person? Many seem to have a problem maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving when bad things come into their lives- that is understandable. Being a person of thanksgiving even when bad things are happening is something we often have to work at and allow God to grow us up in spiritually. But I am talking to the ones who aren't thankful even when they receive something good from God. God can send blessings their way but it doesn't seem to be good enough- they still grumble and complain.

The children of Israel lived in the wilderness for forty years. There were no grocery stores in the wilderness, they did not grow gardens, yet they did not go hungry even once. There was food provided for them each and every day. All they had to do was go out and gather it in the morning and cook it. You would have thought that they would have been thankful. God was providing their need and giving them a "good" thing. But what was their response to it? They murmured and complained. They wanted something else. The manna wasn't good enough. They wanted meat.

Again being a thankful person when things are going bad is one thing, but to be ungrateful when good things come your way is to be selfish and self-centered. It then is not about the thing that was supplied, but it becomes more about my wants instead of my needs. God promised to supply all your need. He didn't promise to supply your wants and whims. This is what causes a lack of gratitude- the need wasn't supplied in the way you wanted it.

Which person describes you this morning? The one who is grateful for any and all blessings the Lord sends your way? The person who is thankful for having his need met even though it didn't come "wrapped up" in the package you desired? Or the person who is ungrateful and can't be satisfied unless he gets exactly what he wants the way he wants it?

Have a great day. There are two kinds of people- thankful and unthankful- which one describes you?

For further reading:
Philippians 4:19
Numbers 11:1-6, 18-20,31
1 Thessalonians 5:18