Does God have an emotional need to be thanked? Isn’t it that the height of altruism is to do good without expecting anything in return? If so, why is it a moral stigma to be ungrateful?
My take is that the answers are not philosophical, but relational. Being thankful to God is a win-win. It’s a mystery, but here goes: God already has complete and utter joy within Himself, but He also takes special delight when we thank Him, much the same way a dad feels happy when his child thanks him.
So where’s the other win? It’s on us. Gratitude is the lubricant of life. It’s not true that we must first be happy so we can be thankful. Brene Brown pointed out, “It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.”
Thankfulness trains us to focus on the half-full rather than the half-empty; we can always work to fill up the whole glass later. It keeps us balanced, gracious, and (dare I say it?) sane. Without thankfulness, we will degenerate into grumbling and morose brutes. This gives us a clue why we disapprove of ingratitude.
So what am I thankful to God for? I am amazed at how God has been good to me and my wife Lucy. Consider a recent example. I had a medical condition that made me rush to the ER last October, and a very competent doctor attended to me.
That same condition recurred about a month later. As I went to the same ER, I was hoping it would be the same doctor. Even though it was a different shift, yes, it was the same doctor. Same skill, same compassion, same relief.
Don’t say “the devil is in the details,” God is in the details. I can cite the big picture, like how God provided for our needs throughout the years. I can also regale you with vignettes, like how each time our car had a deflated or punctured tire, there was always a vulcanizing shop nearby.
I invite you to start not just each year, but each day, thanking God. After all, if gratitude is indeed the lubricant of life, then my heart needs a regular oil change.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
December 29, 2023
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