Thankfulness is a state of mind

My wife, Kathy, and I heard a story recently about Christian thankfulness from an unexpected source.

Last week, some employees at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, where Kathy works, were discussing being thankful. One of the doctors told Kathy he had a story to tell her.

On the previous Sunday, this doctor said his daughter had an opportunity to share a thought on thankfulness after worship. She said that she had worked in a place where she took care of elderly people and there was one lady who was always thankful.

This lady, Alice, was thankful do — whether it was something pleasant, or not so pleasant.

The doctor told Kathy, “I chimed in and said, ‘I amputated that lady’s leg, and she thanked me.’”

Alice from the story was Kathy’s mom, Alice Tobin. Many of you may remember Alice, who lived in Palmer with us from March 1997 until her death in May 2009.

Many knew her as a southern lady who always seemed gracious. But that was the first time we heard the story of her surgeon saying that she even thanked him when he amputated her leg.

Thanksgiving is actually a national holiday established by presidential decree, but anyone can be thankful when things are going well and our blessings are abundant. How many can say thanks even in times of trial, even when our leg might be amputated, or some other trial or tragedy strikes?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, it says to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

In Jesus, we have God’s love in our lives in the good and bad times. Christians can be joyful and we can give thanks, not so much because life is going well, but because God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus are eternal, no matter what the situation!

One of our Bible classes on Sundays has been studying Christian relationships using some Gary Smalley videos. Kathy told me that a recent class suggested that anyone who goes through a time of trial should ask, “What can God be doing and teaching me in this trial?”

The suggestion is a call for thankfulness at all times.

As a fellow child of God, forgiven and loved by God, I am asking my Lord to help me to be thankful and to share my thankfulness even in life’s trials. Perhaps you can pray the same prayer. Anyone can be thankful when life is going well. It is a real witness to God’s love in our lives when we give thanks in life’s difficulties because we know that in Jesus God’s love is eternal. So, we can give thanks even when life seems to be full of trouble.

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2268.