"But I don't feel thankful"

Thanks to all who chimed in on the "what do you think you deserve" post from a few days ago. I'd been reading an article in a local church's monthly mailing when an article "But I Don't Feel Thankful" caught my attention. The author, Jim Elliff, wrote about his kids, how he'd prompt them to say "thank you," yet sometimes they'd counter with this "but I don't feel thankful" complaint. He goes on to ask if we should act grateful when we aren't, but then says: "Perhaps the better question is, 'How could we be so blind to all that God has done that we would ever be ungrateful?'"

He reminds us of the Pilgrims who ate the first Thanksgiving meal in 1621 even though they had seen and experienced many horrible things since they first came to this new land. For starters, half the group died during the cold New England winter!

After talking briefly of the Pilgrims, the author wrote the paragraph you all responded to last week in the above-mentioned post. He declares that our "appreciation for God's most mundane mercies" begins with what we think we deserve. I wanted to hear some opinions on this...thus my post.

The author continues, "The problem with being thankful is not so much one of manners as it is of alertness to the facts, that is, simply having open eyes to what is true. And it is true that you and I deserve nothing good. No, more than that, we deserve everything bad -- an eternity in hell. ... We could probably nip ungratefulness in the bud if we could ever learn well what we deserve because of our sins."

He then challenges us to look around us, see all the food we have to eat, the loving family and friends, our health, our places to live and say "I deserve hell." Repeat it several times because it is true.

BUT THEN "thank God for even the next breath you are given. Because it is only 'in Him' that we 'live and move, and have our being' (Acts 17:26)."


To be continued.