“凡事谢恩，因为这是神在基督耶稣里向你们所定的旨意。” - 帖前 5:18

我朋友的癌症复发了。我到他家里探访他，他的家很舒适，然而他却无法掩饰他的不适。癌细胞已扩散到他的骨骼了，他痛得很厉害。

他发觉自己仰卧平躺在地上时最为舒适，所以他便常常这样做。

他与我分享他以这样仰卧的姿势来看的一则新闻。他说：“我看见山头有一大群人 － 数以千计的伊拉克难民挤在营里。面对风雪、严寒天气，他们唯一的庇护所是完全不足以遮盖避难者的帐篷！”

我欣赏他的同理心。他继续反省说：“他们当中有些人也是正在患病和正在受苦的 － 看看他们身处的地方，天寒地冻，他们还躺卧在帐篷里！”

看到那些远方的邻舍时，他对他们生出怜悯和关怀，他更为他自己周围的环境感恩。“我虽然也在受苦，然而我是蒙福的，我有这个舒适的地方可以躺下。我非常感恩。”

尽管痛得厉害，我的朋友却看到他享受的福气并因此献上感谢！他让我明白“凡事谢恩”的意义。

那天我离开他家时，我的心是温暖和感恩的 － 我为这位仁厚的弟兄和他感恩的心献上感谢，而我也渴望自己拥有这种感恩的心。

祷告

主啊，求你赐我们感恩的心。无论我们今天的境况如何，求你赐下恩典，叫我们看见我们的福气，并且怀着感恩的心生活。奉耶稣慈爱的名祈求，阿们。

帖撒罗尼迦前书 5:12-24

12弟兄们，我们劝你们敬重那在你们中间劳苦的人，就是在主里面治理你们、劝诫你们的。
13又因他们所做的工，用爱心格外尊重他们。你们也要彼此和睦。
14我们又劝弟兄们，要警戒不守规矩的人，勉励灰心的人，扶助软弱的人，也要向众人忍耐。
15你们要谨慎，无论是谁都不可以恶报恶。或是彼此相待，或是待众人，常要追求良善。
16要常常喜乐，
17不住地祷告，
18凡事谢恩，因为这是神在基督耶稣里向你们所定的旨意。
19不要消灭圣灵的感动，
20不要藐视先知的讲论。
21但要凡事察验，善美的要持守，
22各样的恶事要禁戒不做。23愿赐平安的神亲自使你们全然成圣！又愿你们的灵与魂与身子得蒙保守，在我们主耶稣基督降临的时候完全无可指摘！
24那召你们的本是信实的，他必成就这事。

Faith—Seeing Gratefully

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

A friend's cancer had returned. I went to see him in his home. It was a comfortable place, but he couldn't hide his discomfort. The cancer was now in his bones. He was hurting—badly.

His most comfortable position, he learned, was to lie with his back flat on the floor. So that's what he often did.

He shared his experience of watching the news from that position. "I saw the masses on the hillside—thousands of refugees from Iraq crowded into camps. Snow, bitterly cold weather, and their only shelter was wholly inadequate tents!" he said.

I admired him for his empathy. He reflected further: "Some of those people are sick and in pain too—and look where they are, lying in a tent in that bitter cold!"

As he saw those distant neighbors, he was moved by compassionate concern for them, and he was grateful for his own surroundings. "I am in pain, but I am so blessed to have this good place to lie down. I am very thankful."

Even in his severe pain, my friend saw blessings and gave thanks! He showed me what it can mean to "give thanks in all circumstances."

As I left his home that day, my heart was warm and grateful—for this gracious brother and his grateful heart. I want that gratefulness in my heart.

Prayer

Lord, give us grateful hearts. Whatever our circumstances are today, give us the grace to see our blessings and to live gratefully. In the loving name of Jesus we pray. Amen.