Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Andrew Peterson, one of my all-time favorite musician/storytellers, has a song entitled, “Don’t You Want to Thank Someone.”
Can’t you feel it in your bones
Something isn’t right here
Something that you’ve always known
But you don’t know why
‘Cause every time the sun goes down
We face another night here
Waiting for the world to spin around
Just to survive
But when you see the morning sun
Burning through a silver mist
Don’t you want to thank someone?
Don’t you want to thank someone for this?
A few years ago, I went through a challenging season – the “years of tears” as I now, and not so affectionately, call it. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you when I tell you there have been circumstances in my life for which I have been less than thankful. I’d bet my last dime (as my mom says) that you’ve been there too for one reason or another.
In one of my hardest days, I remember listening to the line in Peterson’s song, “Don’t you want to thank someone for this?” and saying, “No, Mr. Peterson. No, I don’t want to thank someone for this.” This is hard. This is painful. This is a time of grief, not gratitude. What could there possibly be in this to be thankful for?
Music has always been what connects my heart to God’s heart. A song formed with meaningful words, a strong melody with unified harmonies allow God’s message to get through to even the most remote corners of my soul. So as I reluctantly listened to the words of Andrew Peterson’s song, God began to stir in me a reminder that in every circumstance, in every this, there is something to be thankful for.
Have you ever wondered why
In spite of all that’s wrong here
There’s still so much that goes so right
And beauty abounds?
‘Cause sometimes when you walk outside
The air is full of song here
The thunder rolls and the baby sighs
And the rain comes down
And when you see the spring has come
And it warms you like a mother’s kiss
Don’t you want to thank someone?
Don’t you want to thank someone for this?
When that painful season entered my life, my song left it. I found it impossible to sing through the tears. My heart was too crushed and my spirit too weak to muster a melody. Music continued to breathe life into me but I soaked in the symphony of other’s like a dry sponge.
When we can’t sing our own song, we need others to sing one for us.
It’s easy to be thankful when things are going well. In good times, the cool crisp breeze flows through our outstretched arms and twirling skirts, the birds chirp their morning song into our hearts and the sunshine wraps around our souls like a fluffy blanket.
It’s not so easy to be thankful in hard times. Those times when our hands are busy wiping tears, when the birds have gone to higher ground, and the cool, crisp breeze has turned damp and still.
I surprised myself one day when I caught myself humming. It instantly felt both foreign and familiar. Spontaneous song had not come out of my mouth in so long that I immediately thought to myself, “Is this okay? Is this good?” And God gently whispered to my soul, “Yes, my love, it’s most definitely okay and it is certainly good. I’ve been longing to hear you sing again.”
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Psalm 96:1-2 (NIV)
As Believers, we are instructed (we have to be told because it doesn’t come naturally) to give thanks in all circumstances because this is what God wants us to do. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) When I draw from the times when God has been good and faithful, it is easier for me to believe that there is something good in this circumstance as well. It could be that I survived for another hour or the sun rose one more time in all of its hopeful display of colors, or I had brief rest from the tears when a friend shared with me a moment of laughter.
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Discuss: Do I want to be thankful? It is so easy to sit in our challenging circumstances and become angry and bitter. Giving thanks in all circumstances is a choice, a decision, an action. Being thankful is not only something we are, it’s something we do.
What can I be thankful for right now? You may be like I was and have to dig deep for an answer to this one. Write it down and then another and another. Watch your heart come back to life as your list grows. Wait expectantly for your song to return.
Oh, but then forgiveness comes
A grace that I cannot resist
And I just want to thank someone
I just want to thank someone for this.
Pray: God, reveal to me what I have to be thankful for. Help me to thank you for this. Amen
Andrea Stunz is a committed wife, an incredibly blessed mom, a grateful mother-in-law and a ridiculously proud Gimi. She is a seasoned traveler from south Texas. Having visited countries all over the globe and lived in Brazil, Singapore and the UK, she finds hope and comfort in a beautiful sunrise and a good cup of coffee. Andrea is a self-proclaimed stumbling pilgrim who is ever so grateful for grace. She longs to encourage others in their stories by sharing a part of hers because “a story worth living is a story worth sharing”. Find more of her work over at andreastunz.com.
See more of her contributions for allmomdoes here.
