Pick and Choose
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
(Side note: I actually wrote this devotion before all the COVID stuff, but how fitting to our current situation!)
In my job, we have a process where the client must 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.
The realization hit me one morning as I was running late that I was implementing the “Pick and Choose” method to my gratitude attitude. I had frantically gotten ready, grabbed everything I needed for my excursion, settled into the car, opened the garage door before I 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. Suddenly, 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, friends. 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! In spite of the early set back.
The “Pick and Choose” method 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.
In today’s verse, Paul reminds 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” to play out in my gratitude attitude. No more picking and choosing which circumstances I will give thanks in, instead I have been intentional about finding the good in all circumstances and giving God thanks!
What circumstances have you found yourself picking and choosing 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 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 ask for your help to find the blessing in the mess. Change our hearts, Lord, that we may grow in our generosity as we find abundance in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen
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2 Comments
Jody
Hi Friend!
I did this exact excercise a few weeks back and posted it on Facebook. Thought I would share with you in case you hadn’t seen it.
Covid 19 Pandemic was declared March 11th, 2020. It has been a time of fear, discouragement, change, and sacrifice no doubt but it has also been a time for reflection. A co-worker of mine had done a list of things affected in her life by the pandemic so when she looked back she wouldn’t forget what had happened and how quickly things had changed. I was moved to do the same. So, with her permission, I took her list and modified it to fit my life. As I finished up, I looked back at each thing that seemed so difficult what I discovered was when we are in middle of what seems like a storm, it may just be blessings we can’t see yet. So I went back and looked for the blessings, then I added them below.
– I work at Vineyard church which remains open as an essential business because of our expanded Food Pantry and Emergency Response efforts. My Pre-Covid job is Director of Human Resources and Ministry Directors but everyone’s jobs have temporarily disappeared or changed to support our Covid Emergency Response. I am currently leading the NEEDS TEAM which is supporting the needs of the Northland.
*Blessing: I am part of an amazing team who is working together to deal with something none of us have ever had to deal with before. No one is expert and we are working together, trusting each persons heart and talents. We are being stretched, molded and refined more than ever before.
-My husbands client shows have been cancelled until at least mid May. He is now running freight for JB Hunt
*Blessing: Is still able to work in a safe environment doing a job similar to what he loves
-Schools are closed
*Blessing: Technology has allowed to save lives by home schooling
-Proms, graduations and senior trips are cancelled
*Blessing: A privileged generation is learning what truly matters and that we are truly all equals
-Schools are delivering food to families
*Blessing: Children are not going hungry
-Our grown kids are now juggling jobs, home schooling and cooped up kids
*Blessing: Parents are appreciating teachers much more, interacting more with their kids and having more family game nights!
-Gas prices in Kansas City have dropped to $1.43
*Blessing: A bit more money for savings because we can’t go anywhere to spend it!
-Tape on the floors at post office and other locations to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.
*Blessing: Learning to be respectful of personal space and put others before ourselves
-Plastic shields are in place at post office, some drive thrus and other businesses to separate the employee and the customer
*Blessing: Still searching for the blessing in this one although it is necessary. UPDATE: A warm smile can still be seen, felt and appreciated through plexi glass.
-Fountain drinks/coffee and kitchens at gas stations are not allowed
*Blessing: Had to break my daily QT ritual but met MacKenzie at Sonic, a new smiling face to start my days
-Stores limit their hours to 8am-8pm, seniors can shop at 7am
*Blessing: Learning to live without access to everything 24-7 and we can give extra care and grace to those who need it
-Restaurants are either closed or providing only take out or curbside pick up
*Blessing: The kitchen table is now used for a family to be together for a meal instead of folding laundry
-Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed
*Blessing: A chance to look at all the things we spend money on and don’t really need
-Parks, trails, entire cities locked up
*Blessing: We are forced to just “be”
-Entire sports seasons cancelled
*Blessing: No more name calling because of where a ball lands or what logo is on your shirt
-Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events – cancelled. People are doing online FB live concerts
*Blessing: Stripped down production so you can hear the true beauty of the voices
-Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings – cancelled.
*Blessing: Even without the all these things, family still exists, love still blossoms and the holidays return every year
-Family members are dying alone in hospitals because no one is allowed to enter to be with
*Blessing: They can’t keep Jesus out and He is there with them
-No funerals
*Blessing: Our loved ones still get to go to heaven
-Church buildings are empty.
*Blessing: So is the tomb
-No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 10 or more.
*Blessing: At least we didn’t have to go “cold turkey”
-Don’t socialize with anyone outside of your home.
*Blessing: We actually get to know our family as well as we think we know those people on social media that really don’t care about us
-Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
*Blessing: Caring people jump in to make masks and deliver them to people on the front lines.
-Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
*Blessing: The call went out and vets, cosmetic surgeons and other cities who had more than needed right now responded by sending their equipment to those who needed it now
-Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels, no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer.
*Blessing: The bidet industry is booming! We are sharing what we have and hopefully those who were panic buying are doing the same.
-Shelves are bare
*Blessing: What we consider bare shelves, most countries consider a years’ worth of food
-Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer.
*Blessing: American ingenuity, empathy and caring are rebirthed
-Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.
*Blessing: We are already in the best place on earth, why leave?
-Fines are established for breaking the rules.
*Blessing: We all must make sacrifices and live in the world with respect for others. In some countries you would be shot instead of fined.
-Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
*Blessing: We don’t have to pitch tents and treat people in the streets
-Press conferences daily from the President and the governors. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.
*Blessing: We have a government of the people and for the people not a dictatorship who answers to no one
-Missouri has been declared a Disaster Area
*Blessing: Declaration enables emergency dollars to help businesses and people recover
-Barely anyone on the roads.
*Blessing: No road rage
-People wearing masks and gloves outside.
*Blessing: Realizing how important those smiles (now covered by a mask) were to me and how beautiful and unique each of those faces are. I will look through different eyes when this ends.
-Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
*Blessing: And yet, they continue the fight for those who need them to survive
-Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
*Blessing: And yet their families welcome, love, respect and support them as they continue the battle
We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other – love one another – support everyone.
admin
That is so good Jody! Praying you and your family remain healthy and blessed! I can’t wait to be back to meeting in person again.