Good Enough

Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. Warren Wiersby illustrated this problem in his commentary on Colossians. He told about a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him. What is wrong with people? Saying thank you, showing respect, and just simply being there, are easy actions of gratefulness. Maybe we just aren’t that grateful.

In 1 Thessalonians 5.18 the Apostle is bringing home that point. It’s easy! So why is it so hard to… “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”? Why is it so hard to be thankful and so hard to say ‘thank you’? Why is it not only hard to say to others… but God? No one else is listening. No one else is there to make you feel awkward. All you have to do is say ‘thanks’. Maybe it’s the fact he said— “In everything…”. The two words “give thanks” is one in greek— εὐχαριστεῖτε — eucharisete. It has two parts: 1) eú- ‘good’; and 2) xaris- ‘grace’  So literally— ‘good grace’. This is acknowledgment that His grace is good (enough). Yes it is! 

Who isn’t thankful for God’s grace? Too often our thoughts of something and our verbiage don’t match.  We can think good thoughts of someone but it’s another thing to actually tell them. In this case we have eucharisete as a verb, therefore… ‘the activity of acknowledging, to God, His grace is good (enough)’. It’s not that hard to say ‘thank you’, especially if what you received was more than you deserve. Remember that grace is getting what I don’t deserve. It’s more like saying— ‘God your grace is always good to me…even in this’. Because the verse goes on to say…”in every thing”! I think that is where we struggle. Humanly it sounds crazy to say something like thank you, for the loss of a life. In fact, we will guiltily chase around trying to find a ‘silver lining’ in everything terrible. It isn’t so much saying ‘thank you’, which we should, but more like acknowledging that what has happened is better than I deserve. It’s finding God’s goodness in the event, or at the least, seeking it in the follow-up.

Perspective! That is the key. How do you see yourself? Do you think you deserve better? Do you believe that somehow you were dealt a bad hand by God?

Being thankful and saying so is common in Paul’s writings. In example look at Ephesians 5.20— “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” It is common in his writings because He never forgot where he came from. A saved former assassin. This is a man who persecuted and killed Christ’s followers. At one point Paul had a physical ailment and asked God to remove it. Jesus’ reply was— “…My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12.9). But look closer at how Paul replied— “…Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”Some believe that this ailment was partial blindness. If that is the case, then Paul saw God’s grace upon Him more valuable to him than his own sight. He acknowledged that God’s grace is good (enough).

What do you deserve? We deserve hell. We deserve to fulfill our punishment for sin against a holy God. But, what has God given you?  Mercy, which is not getting what you do deserve. Remember that grace is getting what you don’t deserve. This is why we should acknowledge that His grace is good enough… 

1. Reminds us it is coming from God. (and He is always good)
2. Sets an appropriate value upon it. (not too much or little) 
3. Reminds us of our own unworthiness. (how sovereign He really is)
4. Propels us to praise Him more often. (recognize and therefore count your blessing more) 

In context, there is a series of commas at the end of the three precepts; making “this is the will of God”refer to all three: “…always rejoice, pray without intermission, (and) in every thing acknowledge His grace is good enough…” God knows this is what can make your journey here a lot better. Sin entered into creation, therefore life is going to be hard. If we “…always rejoice, pray without intermission, (and) in every thing acknowledge His grace is good enough…” our life would be a lot more fulfilled and Christ-like.  

God has given grace to everyone. But, I have some bad news… not everyone has accepted His grace. This is why it says— “In Christ Jesus”. If you have personally made the decision in your heart to trust Christ as your savior, then you have acknowledged that what He did was not deserved and is more than sufficient to save your soul. You have then repented and trusted in His righteous act to save you, with no merit from you at all. You my friend are declared justified before a holy God. You and only you can do this for you. You have to make that decision. If you have, then you are in Christ. So this is His will for you… a life of constant grace. If you haven’t done this… you are not in Christ. You have no hope. You will never know the benefits of His grace until you do this. You will die and your soul will go out into eternity, eventually to the dreaded Lake of Fire. This is not God’s will for you, but you didn’t accept His offer of grace. Why wouldn’t you do this now? This opportunity is for everyone!  2 Corinthians 5.17 says— “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Any man! You are that man (person). He has a new way, a new path, a new will tailor made just for you!

This is God’s will… “concerning you” it says. It’s personal and prescribed just for you. Do you trust Him? Do you trust that He really is good… to you? The half-brother of Jesus, James said in his book 4.6— “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” If you want to experience the grace of God full bore— you need to let go and let God. Break your pride and let God take over. You cannot control the outcome… trust His grace! He’s got this… God has got this!

How often do you physically, verbally, acknowledge to God that His grace is good enough? Is it because you have such a tight grip on the thing, person, or feeling that you can’t trust even Him to take it?  

In his book ‘Folk Songs Of Faith’, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The other man asked, “Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.” The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!” Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!” Ouch! 

If you think about it, unthankful is the first stage in apostasy. Those are the ones who stop believing (walk away). Just as Paul said in Romans 1.21— “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” This is not an article written as a spiritual one-a-day… this is serious business, not verbalizing and living out a truly thankful heart. You see the difference in saying thanks and being thankful is the same here as— “glorifying Him not as God and being thankful.” You may say to yourself you are thankful, but how often do you say thank you to Him? God warns what it will be like among believers in the end-times— “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,” (2 Timothy 3.2)David on the other hand said in Psalm 69.30— “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

The choice to be thankful is not circumstantial, it cannot be blame-shifted, it is a matter of our heart. The choice is yours and yours alone. Is God good enough or not?