Pick and Choose

^“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

In my job, we have a process where the client has to decide between going with the default of “All” or making the decision to “Pick and Choose” what they want to do.  The default option of “All” is the best way and provides the best solution to the situation.  However, occasionally a person will ask to be able to “Pick and Choose” how they want the process to go.  This is a more painful and time-consuming process, and the results are not always what they hoped for.

I realized the other day; I was implementing the “Pick and Choose” method to my gratitude attitude.  The realization hit me one morning as I was running late.  I had frantically got ready, grabbed everything I needed for my excursion, got into the car, opened the garage door and realized  I didn’t have my car keys.  A few choice words escaped from my lips as I grumpily flung myself out of the car and raced back to the house to search for my keys.  I was angry and blaming the kids for not putting them back where they belonged, etc….  All of a sudden, I realized  I did not want to start my morning by being in a bad mood.  So, I took a deep breath and thanked God for the opportunity to add a few extra steps into my day.

I know this is really small potatoes guys.  But you know what?  It made me smile, it turned my heart from angry to happy, and it set the mood for a good morning that was even more productive than I had planned!

Pick and choose might work for your cell phone plan or even your meal choices at the drive-thru, but it was not meant to be the most effective plan when applied to our gratitude attitude.

Paul is reminding us we are to give thanks in all things, notice it does not say for all things.  So, we may thank God for the opportunity provided by the difficulty, but not necessarily for the difficulty.  After all, we need to remember there is an enemy at work that does not deserve our thanks!!

In other words, we are to say “thank you God” no matter what happens or what we are going through for this is His will for us in Christ Jesus.

So, in the past few weeks I have allowed the default of “All” play out in my gratitude attitude.  No more picking and choosing as to what circumstances I will give thanks in, I will find the good in all circumstances and give God thanks!

What circumstances have you found yourself picking out of the basket of thanks? Do you keep a gratitude journal? How has it helped your  attitude? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s thank God for all of our circumstances and bow our heads in adoration of the giver of all good things.

Heavenly Father we praise and worship your name as the maker of heavens and earth.  We thank you for the circumstance we have found ourselves in this week and are determined to find the blessing in the mess. Change our hearts, Lord, that we may grow in our generosity as we find abundance in You. Lord, hear my prayers.  Amen