Being thankful

Carol and I were visiting friends and having fun, and I broke out into laughter. Jerry asked, "It doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?"

I said, "I normally remain happy, so I laugh at the drop of a hat. Sometimes the dropped hat makes me laugh."

Jerry said, "You're strange!" But Charles jumped in and said, "No. He's easy to get along with. Jerry, you're critical of everyone; that's why you don't appreciate Gene's outlook on life. You're the one who needs to change." That didn't make Jerry happy.

So, what's the basis, or foundation, for being happy? In my estimation, being a thankful person is the key.

During Dad's last week on earth, someone asked him why he was in good spirits. In his faltering voice, Dad responded, "I'm thankful that I will soon see Jesus."

When a woman who was in a car accident was asked why she wasn't distressed, she said, "I'm thankful that only my arm was broken. It could have been my back."

A friend who received a poor grade on a major test remained calm, and someone asked him "Why?" He said, "I am aggravated at myself because I didn't study properly. But I'm happy that I didn't flunk the test; and I've learned a life lesson which is 'be diligent in what I am supposed to be doing.' I'll apply this principle to the rest of my life."

There are 256 entries for joy, joyous, joyful, and joyfully in the Bible, and the Scriptural or literary context determines the specific meaning. Several of the meanings are: mirth, gladness, rejoicing, gaiety, happiness, exuberance, singing, shouting for joy, sing for joy, cry out, overcome, triumph, and shout with applause. So it appears that the concept of joy is important to God. One of my favorite Scripture verses is Nehemiah 8:10 which ends with: "The joy of the Lord is my strength." You might be surprised how often that truth has been proven in my life.

Thankfulness. Being thankful. Having a grateful spirit. This brings in another concept: A thankful person is generally more relaxed and is able to understand more about life. My friend who didn't study for the test gained a deeper insight into life. The woman with a broken arm saw past her immediate problem. And Dad really saw past this temporal setting we call life.

Two years ago as we were traveling to Washington D.C., we encountered a traffic jam that was about five miles long. Many folk were getting bent out of shape about it, but others remained calm. Losing our temper or our peace of mind wouldn't clear the road. The driver of the semi that was stopped next to us rolled down her window and we began talking with her about her business and the dog on her lap. We had a good interaction.

As we inched along, Carol was studying the map and found a little road about a mile away where we could get off the freeway. It took us about 45 minutes to drive that mile, but we ate snacks, talked with "neighbors" and enjoyed the time together.

That side-road took us 25 miles out of the way, but we didn't mind. We saw some of the countryside and small towns that we would never have seen otherwise; and we enjoyed the adventure. But that was because the joy of the Lord resides in our hearts and minds. We didn't have to BECOME thankful; we were ALREADY thankful people and we express our joy and thankfulness to the Lord in all circumstances.

Now, lest you think I'm bragging, let it go. This is a testimony of what the Lord has done in our lives. God wants all -- and I mean ALL -- of us to be able to tell others about our joyful relationship with the Lord our God, and with others. Too many of us spend time talking about our cars, trucks, jobs, hunting, and the rest; and that isn't so bad. But if you don't have a definitive statement about what the Lord has done in your life, your life is incomplete.

Joyfulness does something else. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength." Overall, joyful people are healthier.

Don't think of tomorrow as "turkey-day." Instead, allow the Joy of the Lord to flood your soul, and truly give thanks to Almighty God for His blessings.

-- Gene Linzey is a speaker, author, and former pastor. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.