Found Truths | The Art of Thanksgiving

article by Reverend RB Moore

Over in Texas some time ago, a preacher went to visit a lady in the hospital. When the pastor arrived in her room, he said to the patient, “I’m sorry you are in the hospital.” The retired lady answered, “I am, too. But my family can’t take care of me, and I am thankful we have a hospital here in our town.” 

The minister said, “Still, I’m sure you miss your home.” She replied, “Well, to be perfectly honest, my family works during the day, and I get lonely. But here, every time the door opens, I look forward to meeting a new friend.”

The pastor continued, “I imagine it’s difficult not sleeping in your own bed.” The patient answered, “Actually, at home, we only change our beds once a week. But here they change our beds every day. I consider that a luxury, don’t you?”

The preacher then made a comment about the food being different from home cooked meals. The patient said, “My daughter-in-love is a wonderful cook. But here they offer a wide variety. And honestly, I only have two teeth, and I thank the Lord they hit!”

The pastor then thought to himself, “Maybe I should stand at attention and give this lady a full military salute!” Here’s a lady in a hospital bed who has mastered the art of giving thanks in all situations. She may bring to our minds what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 … “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Clearly, on many occasions, a thankful heart leads to a positive outlook. Still, many of us struggle to master the art of thanksgiving during trying times. What can we do to grow our spirits to naturally give thanks even in our difficulties?

In answer to this question, maybe you have heard of the former missionary to Lebanon, Benjamin Weir. From a stressful time in his life, we uncover a few clues. Let me tell you about his ordeal which took place many moons ago.

Benjamin Weir was held as a hostage, in the Middle East, for about 16 months. During his captivity, he spent 14 months in solitary confinement, which means, as you know, he had very little contact with others. How does one maintain one’s sanity, when locked away by terrorists, in solitary confinement? He fell back on three spiritual practices.

First, he dug through the archives of his brain to recall the verses of Scripture that gave him hope. He often meditated on these Scripture passages in his hours of solitude. Surely Psalm 23 came to his mind.

Second, he unearthed from his memory every favorite hymn, or song, that ministered to his weary mind. He sang them throughout the days of his captivity. No doubt, Amazing Grace was often on his mind.

Then third, daily he gave thanks for every blessing he could recall. To amplify his daily art of thanksgiving, it’s key to know he was chained to a radiator. Whenever he desired, he began to use each link of the chain to mark a gift from God. As each gift came to mind, he gave thanks.

He gave thanks to God for every little gift he had taken for granted in the past. He thanked God he could hear the birds chirping, the dogs barking, and the other sounds of life. He thanked God for the health and strength to face another day.

Benjamin Weir learned to give thanks in all circumstances. Truly he was well on his way to mastering the art of thanksgiving.

However, we don’t have to wait for a journey through a hardship to follow the pattern illustrated for us by Benjamin Weir. With consistent practice, maybe one day we will be able to naturally give thanks to God when everything appears to go south. When we do, we may also maintain our sanity, like Benjamin Weir, and possibly, we may be surprised to discover a new kind of joy growing in our hearts.