A story is told about a devout king who was disturbed by the ingratitude of his royal court. So he prepared a large banquet for them. When the king and his royal guests were seated, by prearrangement, a beggar shuffled into the hall, sat down at the king’s table, and gorged himself with food. Without saying a word, he then left the room. The guests were furious and asked permission to confront the beggar for his ingratitude. The king replied, “That beggar has

An optimistic who was facing obstacles within his company stated, “We shouldn’t look at our situation like this. These aren’t problems. They’re opportunities!” A member of his board quickly retorted: “If that’s the case, then we’ve got a company full of opportunities!” An optimist tends to see things favorably. A pessimist tends to see those same things turning out badly. Whatever our tendency, we want to be people of faith. While our aim is to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18),

Paul directs us to “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The pagans in Paul’s day accepted fate as sovereign over everything. They believed that they should accept whatever came their way and even give thanks for it. Fate is the belief that there are forces outside our control that make things happen. “We can’t change destiny.” Fate is the belief that there is an impersonal force or universal principle or supernatural power that predetermines events and circumstances. “Whatever will be, will

Looking through my binoculars does not increase the size of the distant mountains or trees or birds. They only make the objects I’m looking at appear larger. I see them more clearly. And my sense of awe increases. In a similar way, the psalm writers invite us to “magnify” the Lord. “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3, NKJV). “Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let such as love

The Masai tribe in West Africa has an old custom of saying thank you. When they express thanks, they bow, put their foreheads on the ground, and say, “My head is in the dirt.” Members of another African tribe will express gratitude to an individual by sitting for a long time in front of the hut of that person and say, “I sit on the ground before you.” Paul wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3). Think about