PAUL’S THANKSGIVINGS

The holiday season is an easy time to be thankful and express gratitude. We’re reminded of it constantly. But maybe you’re tired of the same old routines. Maybe it’s hard to think of new things to be thankful for. If that’s you, try reading through these things for which Paul is thankful:

• The believers in Rome because their faith is well known (Rom. 1:8)
• The believers in Corinth for God’s grace given to them (1 Cor. 1:4)
• Comforts from God in all our troubles so we can comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
• Leading from God for us to be used in spreading the gospel (2 Cor. 2:14)
• The gift of the gospel (2 Cor. 9:15)
• Spiritual blessings and being chosen, predestined, adopted, freely given love, redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, and understanding (Eph. 1:3)
• The believers in Ephesus for their faith in Jesus and love for the church (Eph. 1:15-16)
• His partnership in the gospel with the believers in Philippi (Phil. 1:3-5)
• The believers in Colossi for their faith in Christ and their love of the saints (Col. 1:3-4)
• The share in the inheritance of the believers in Colossi (Col. 1:12)
• Deliverance from the domain of darkness through redemption and forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14)
• The believers in Thessalonica for the work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness in hope (1 Thess. 1:2)
• The acceptance of the Word by the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:13)
• Abundantly growing faith of the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 1:3)
• Increasing love for one another (2 Thess. 1:3)
• Strength from Christ (1 Tim. 1:12)
• Appointed to service and considered faithful by Christ (1 Tim. 1:12)
• Timothy (2 Tim. 1:3)
• Philemon because of his faith and his love for the saints (Philemon 4)

In the majority of these passages, Paul is thankful to God for people. Specifically, he is thankful for believers. Most of us would say we’re thankful for our family and or friends. But usually it’s because we’re thankful for what they do for us. We might thank our parents for raising us, or a friend for being helpful in a time of need, or a spouse for loving us when we don’t deserve it. We thank them and we thank God for what they do. But Paul is thankful for how those believers lived for Christ and shared the gospel. I don’t know about you, but I hardly ever thank someone for their service to God. Maybe I’ll thank a keynote speaker after a good conference or a musician after a meaningful concert, but rarely do I thank my believing friends and family for their service to God. When I thank God for people in my prayers, it is also usually more focused on myself. I don’t thank God that “so and so” is serving faithfully. Talk about a great way to change our perspectives from selfishness to dwelling on the kingdom of God!

It’s also interesting to note how detailed and specific Paul’s thanksgivings are. No two thanksgivings are alike. If you’re feeling bored by your prayers, maybe you can take a few of these thanksgivings and think of people in your life who are similar to the people Paul mentions and praise God for those people. There isn’t anything magical in praying the specific words of Paul, but there’s also nothing wrong with patterning our prayers after his. It is the Bible after all! 

It is amazing how vibrant and interesting the Word of God can make our lives. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you can still be encouraged and inspired by the Word of God. Don’t settle for the same boring prayer routines. Sometimes you just have to look a little deeper than the obvious commands to pray and see the patterns of a stellar prayer life in the Apostle Paul. I hope this encourages you to spice up your thanksgivings this November.

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