STAYING GRATEFUL IN TIMES OF SCARCITY AND PLENTY

In the light of recent happenings in our Nation Nigeria, killing /abducting of innocent Christian girls, incessant increase in price of goods and services, increase in pump price, to mention a few: one is tempted to ask if there is any reason to be grateful. Because from the look of things it seems the devil is having an upper hand. It just brings to mind the disciples state after the death of Jesus Christ, the disciples must have felt helpless, dejected and feeling all hope was lost, unknown to them it was just the beginning of God’s plan for mankind. Sincerely it was a time of scarcity for the disciples at that time as it is now for Nigeria and many of us.

WHAT IS SCARCITY? It is a state of being scarce or in short supply, it is a time of DEARTH, FAMINE, lack or shortage of supply of essentials. A time of famine or scarcity has never been the best of times. This is when things are difficult, it is hard to feed or meet ones basic needs and Christian family are not exempted, in fact they are most hit because they can’t cut corners or steal like others. The time we are in as a nation is a time of scarcity – injustice everywhere, the media reeks of bad news, politicians and government officials loot without care, ASUU strike (unending), unemployment, no power supply (for those who have ideas and want to be self employed) and many more. (sorry for using Nigeria as a case study – I am just trying to paint a picture of what scarcity is like as a Nation). Individually we can be going through experiences that connote scarcity too, such as inability to make ends meet, a member of the family might be hospitalized or we ourselves might be managing an ailment and that means expenses(especially in Nigeria) and so forth.

The topic once again is gratitude in the days scarcity, I tried defining scarcity and explaining it using current happenings

WHAT IS GRATITUDE? Gratitude according to online definition, is the quality of being thankful, another definition gives gratitude as a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative, it could be towards a person or towards God, for today’s discussion, we will be talking about gratitude towards God.

Now what does the Bible say about gratitude which can be interchange with giving thanks as observed in the definition above. In I Thessalonians 5:18- it reads – IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU. The New Living Translation puts it simply in a way I love and is self explanatory especially for today’s discussion, it says: BE THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS

It is natural for man to be grateful (full of thanks) when things are good, nobody will remind you to, it is an unconscious act, you just dance and jubilate when you hear a good news or experience breakthrough, bountiful harvest, good report but not so when it is otherwise. It takes courage, wisdom and the knowledge of God (those that know their God) to give thanks when the feilds are dry and no hope in sight like prophet Habakkuk in Habakkuk 3:17 & 18.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The truth is that on this side of eternity we will always have trouble; pandemic, famine, injustice and many more but we as believers have been assured in John 16:33 (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace, In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world)

As believers therefore we are expected not to be anxious about anything but rather through prayer, supplication and THANKSGIVING (Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.(Phillipians 4:6).

If we don’t learn to give thanks in the days of scarcity, we will never be able to give thanks when we have in abundance

Let me give you a little scenery using children, children who are raised with everything, that is, have never been denied things in their life, grow up to never appreciate things.

The same thing happens to people who have never seen reason to be grateful
When things come too cheap, we end up thinking we are entitled to them.

No wonder God sometimes make us wait instead of throwing answers to all request when asked.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, God expects believers to be grateful in all circumstances, not only in the good but in all, because just as the song writer says, that God is the God of the good time as well as in the bad time.

Most time just as the disciples we don’t have the whole picture, so we think some times are bad but actually God who sees the end from the beginning, knows what is best for us and He is there holding our hands through it all.

Man’s wants are insatiable, so when you don’t see the arm of God when you are in need, you will never notice it when He does supply.

So learn to see awesome things in your ordinary everyday lives.

How many of us have even been able to meet our needs on our own, the Bible said how many of us through worrying have added a cubit to our lives?

Let us quickly look through scriptures and see examples of people who even in scarcity, look beyond their circumstances and had an attitude of gratitude

I mentioned prophet Habakkuk earlier in Habakkuk 3:17 and 18, he said even if the olive fail and the fig tree will not produce, and couple with the livestock not being available, yet will he be grateful, this man has discovered the God he served, that He is never late and does not fail

Jesus gave us many examples to follow, anytime He faced scarcity, He gave thanks, He had the attitude of praying in this way – Father I thank you, that you always hear me, He did it at the tomb of Lazarus, He did when He fed the multitudes (where there was obvious scarcity, how can five loaves and two fishes feed five thousand men aside the women and children in the meeting), that was how the disciples He met on the way to Emmaus recognized Him because the Lord gave thanks always.

Before I round up please permit me to share a very wonderful contemporary case.

The author of the hymn: Now Thank Thee All Our God, a popular hymn which I believe must have blessed us at one time or another was composed by Martin Rinkart(1586-1649), a protestant pastor at a time during the thirty years war when he conducted nearly 4500 funerals which included his wife and possibly many members of his congregation. There was pestilence and famine, yet he was inspired to write such a powerful hymn of Thanksgiving.

Before I close, I want to say that, the mystery of Thanksgiving (gratitude) is that God rejoices in it and it baffles angels when they see men showing gratitude, with all that is happening in the world. (A revelation from my husband).

Showing gratitude (Thanksgiving) is very important to God because it tells Him that we know that He is still in control and that is not the end of things, so it is a challenge to God. Therefore He always act in ways beyond our expectations. You can ask the only Leper that came back to show gratitude.

In closing when you have an attitude of giving thanks (showing gratitude), you have less worries (no anxiety) and no anxiety means you won’t be sick (no BP case). So more or less you are doing yourself a favor and equally getting into the good book of the Lord, He will do anything to help you. SO FORM A HEALTHY HABIT OF THANKSGIVING TODAY.

A Thanksgiving Anniversary lecture delivered by Ayoola-OLUMOFIN Comfort on the 3pG Telegram Interacrive page on the 20th May 2022.