Count it all Joy
Counting it all joy comes from James 1: 2, which says, ” Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
It is so easy to think of the good things, however small, in a day and be glad for them. It is much more difficult to look at the chaos and the hard stuff and tell God thank you for it. Joy is the peaceful and hopeful confidence that God is in control and He loves me enough to take care of me – no matter what. Joy is a choice and a gift. Trials bring out the best – or the worst – in everyone. The Bible tells us – in the imperative – to be thankful and to be glad about the bad stuff. What does it even mean to be thankful? Essentially it is a response expressing appreciation; it is an outward response of an inward attitude. Of course it is easier to count it all joy after the challenge or trial. Counting it all joy does not mean being happy for the difficulty or denying the reality of one’s sorrow or pretending that it isn’t hard or painful.. Counting is all joy must mean something else; perhaps it is acknowledging a larger purpose, maintaining hope while developing inner strength. It is a discipline of trust.
Is God thankful? I am not sure that I have ever really processed the question. I suppose I could make an argument for both sides of the discussion* because the difficulty lies in our finite definition of gratitude. God does not need anything, but I think that as we present our lives and gifts to God, He responds with granting us favor, an expression of his love for us. He is pleased. Jesus was thankful; he thanked God for the food and before raising Lazarus from the dead, to name a few. Jesus as both God and a human gave thanks throughout his life, but I believe it was not just when He was incarnate that he was thankful. At the end of the day, I think someone would be hard pressed to say that the thankfulness expressed by Christ to the Father while on this earth was temporary- relegated only to His earthly ministry. Surely such expressions of gratitude provide insight into their eternal relationship. As a human he clearly expressed appreciation and gratitude to the Father often, but additionally the perfect communion of the Godhead must have some form of thankful appreciation. For all eternity, God is perfect, immutable and love, and where love flows, it is impossible to imagine love with an absence of thankfulness. He’s joyful, angry, grieved, pleased, etc., so why would he not be thankful?! Additionally, God is gracious. But, is He filled with a sense of gratitude in that grace? In fact, the word grace comes from the same root as gratitude; but gratitude is never used in the place of grace. There in lies the rub. Since gratefulness is a response; for what would God, in his eternal state, be grateful? Can self-existence be grateful to itself for anything? Maybe the idea of thankfulness as a response is limited in definition. Maybe it is more accurate to say God is pleased, he extends his favor, he rewards, he is merciful, he blesses, he delights and honors in the way He responds to us. God desires a loving relationship with his creation, humans in particular. When a person’s love is returned, joy, lovingkindness and gratitude result. Maybe thankfulness is a mutuality between God and man. I don’t know!
One more thought, I would assume that since we are encouraged throughout scripture to be grateful, and that we are created in His image, that perhaps gratitude is part of His character. I also tend to think that since good leaders, effective authorities and godly parents don’t ask those who follow them to do something they are unwilling to do themselves, similarly I think God would do even more! Jesus’ gratitude was on so many levels and he instructed his followers to be like Him. I think about my own kids and I am thankful for them. I want to bless them. They bring me joy not because of anything they do but because of who they are and whose they are (MINE!). I want to express my gratitude and my love for them. Even more, God appreciates when we reflect his attributes of integrity, holiness, goodness, and kindness. God blesses us when we please him because it is his nature to respond in gratitude to the acts and attitudes that reflect his heart as a parent. Jesus taught the beatitudes to demonstrate this.
In a world that is busy and relentless in its pursuit of self, success, and happiness it is easy to overlook the profound act of being thankful. Gratitude is transformative, especially in light of challenging circumstances. Can I deliberately and intentionally express gratitude. Life is a gift and a thankful heart can be a disciplined response. All I am and all I have is a gift to be celebrated with joy.
I really think the ultimate question is not answered in the things for which I am grateful, but what can I do today to bring joy to the heart of God?
* The other internal debate I have is whether or not there will be hope in heaven!