Developing an attitude of gratitude #1: If Paul can, we can

Hey, I’m back! Have you missed me? With Andy taking over the blog for a month to tackle the book of Ephesians, that’s the longest break I’ve had away from Join Our Journey in 4 years! And yes, I’ve missed you. I’ve missed reading the Bible regularly and writing about it and sharing that with you. So here I am, raring to go!

And what a wonderful book to come back to! The Book of Philippians – a letter crammed with gratitude and joy and calls to action. Developing an attitude of gratitude therefore felt like a good theme to hang our  thoughts on this month. It feels like the right time for me in my own life. I’m sick of listening to myself moan about what’s going on in my world. I have SO much to be thankful for and I intend to focus on that.

After all, Paul wasn’t having it easy when he wrote this letter. He was writing from prison, that much is clear. Most likely house arrest in Rome. He wasn’t free to come and go as he pleased, to travel and take the Good News of new life in Jesus Christ to all those places where the Gospel had not yet been preached. It must have been frustrating, uncomfortable, mentally stressful, isolating…and yet he focuses on joy and thanksgiving.

If he can, we can.

The city of Philippi was a prosperous Roman colony, so the citizens of Philippi were also citizens of the city of Rome itself. They prided themselves on being Romans. Many of the Philippians were retired military men. There were not many Jews in Philippi, not enough Jews to permit the establishment of a synagogue. It’s interesting that Paul doesn’t quote the Old Testament at all in this letter and this is probably why. And yet there are believers there – at times struggling to stay on track, but there nevertheless – and Paul is encouraging them with words of joy, joy and more joy!

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:3-11

How often do we look at our fellow believers in this way? How often do we pray for those who are walking alongside us on this journey of faith? How often do we offer thanks and encouragement to those who have played in key role in revealing to us the way, the truth and the life?

How easy it is to slip into criticism and condemnation, to drag others down with our harsh words and negativity. We find it easy to moan and far harder to show gratitude, don’t we?

I choose to see coming together to worship as exactly that, coming together. In the more personal songs and prayers, I close my eyes and focus on my relationship with God, but at other times, like during Communion, I choose to look around and give thanks to God for each person that I see. I pray for them and if I catch their eye, I smile at them. We are community. We are family. When we sing the words ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you…’, I choose to look around and sing to the people around me. I don’t care if you think that sounds cringey. I’m all too good at the harsh criticism stuff, so I need to practise the positive gratitude and prayers whenever I can.

If we were to develop an attitude of gratitude in our churches, how different would our Christian communities be? Nice places to be filled with joy and love and acceptance and laughter, rather than rolling eyes and stern voices and harsh words. Maybe people would feel like coming along then if church were more like that.

None of us are perfect. God has begun a good work in each one of us, but He’s not finished yet. He’s not finished with any of us yet. We all share in God’s grace. We are all works in progress. But like Paul, we can trust that He who has begun this good work with bring it to completion.

Say thank you to someone today.

Say thank you to someone everyday.

Let’s pray for each other as Paul prayed for the Philippians.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.

So let it be.

Amen.