The Comma Mindset
When I was a kid, we were told “please” and “thank you” were magic words, and I believed it. As I have gotten older, it is evident that fewer people know about these magic words. I don’t know which has declined more, “please” or “thank you”. I suppose, given the fact that we recently celebrated Thanksgiving, thank you has been used more. Of course, we cannot ignore that despite the efforts to make the occasion feel authentic, our digital calendars and a nation’s tradition have designated this time.
The gratitude that I’d like to speak to you about is the one that Paul mentioned in his writing in 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 CSB
[18] Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The Greek word used here for thanks is eucharisteō (yoo-khar-is-teh’-o), to be grateful, feel thankful. Additionally, the root word means mindful of favors, grateful, thankful: to God. In fact, within the word eucharisteō (yoo-khar-is-teh’-o), we find the word charis, which means grace. And grace is the distribution of God’s riches at Christ’s expense.
Colossians 3:15 CSB
[15] And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.
Notice how this gratitude, this thanks, is a direct result of a realization of who God is and what he’s done. Therefore, a Biblical definition for gratitude is the mindful understanding that, despite our best efforts, our existence and possessions are obtained by the rich mercy and hand of God.
With this understanding of gratitude, we can see that gratitude is intended to lead us to growth. When we acknowledge God’s mercy and hand, we position ourselves for growth.
Jeremiah 30:19 CSB
[19] Thanksgiving will come out of them, a sound of rejoicing. I will multiply them, and they will not decrease; I will honor them, and they will not be insignificant.
Observe how, when the people entered into this moment of expressed thanksgiving, God honored them and multiplied them. There is a power behind gratitude; it becomes a key that opens a door that otherwise would remain closed.
Consider when Paul and Silas found themselves in jail for preaching the gospel, yet they maintained their attitude of gratitude.
Acts 16:25 CSB
[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Paul and Silas were behind bars, but they were not prisoners of the moment. They maintained an attitude of gratitude; they still had praise, they still gave thanks.
Acts 16:26 CSB
[26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.
Gratitude doesn’t need a stipulated date on the calendar; it requires a humble heart that recognizes that, despite our best efforts, our existence and possessions are obtained by the rich mercy and hand of God. In the good times, in the not-so-good times, God is good and worthy of all thanks for He has sustained us, He has not abandoned us, and He will complete His promises.
Gratitude is a powerful thing. Being able to give thanks at all times is a beautiful thing. We must, however, understand that gratitude is a comma, not a period; it’s a moment to take a breather and meditate, not a moment to come to a complete stop.
Even the fighter, in between each round, gets a moment to sit. And in that time, in that pause, they get a chance to go over the good and the not-so-good with their corner. So too, you and I are to take a moment to observe it all, and give thanks to the LORD for it all; the good and the not so good.
We might not link rest with gratitude, but indeed rest is not a permanent state; it is intended to be but a moment between rounds, much like gratitude. When we stay in a perpetual sleep, we call that death. So what do we call it when someone makes gratitude a period instead of a comma, that instead of taking a breather, they ended the story?
Gratitude leads to growth, but why then do we see so many people go into an attitude of gratitude and fall into stagnation?
In Numbers 27, Moses understands his time is coming to an end, but he prays to the LORD to assign who will lead the people, and Joshua is assigned.
Numbers 27:18-20 CSB
[18] The LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
[19] Have him stand before the priest Eleazar and the whole community, and commission him in their sight.
[20] Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him.
In Numbers 31, Moses is given his final mission by God, and the people have a great victory. Then, in Numbers 32, the Rubenites and Gadites make a request.
Numbers 32:5 CSB
[5] They said, “If we have found favor with you, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
After a time of victories, they came and requested that the land be given to them. After every battle, Moses would ensure the spoils were divided equally and distributed fairly among the tribes. However, the Rubenites and Gadites request that this land be given to them. And on the surface, there’s nothing wrong with this request, except for that last sentence: “Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
A time of blessing and abundance had arrived, but they no longer wished to keep with the mission given by God to take the promised land. Instead, they requested, “Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
When we allow gratitude to become a period, we assume that the story is over.
We take the attitude that the victories won and the blessings gained are sufficient, but we don’t realize that in taking this attitude, we are limiting God. The story isn’t over.
For the Rubenites and Gadites, their gratitude turned into complacency. And some people have adopted the same attitude. They feel so blessed that they dare not ask or aspire for more. They cannot explain how they made it this far, and this is good enough. And some are playing small, allowing their gratitude to lead to stagnation.
Numbers 32:6 CSB
[6] But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war while you stay here?
In the verses that follow, Moses has a conversation with them, reminding them that their complacency isn’t a confirmation of completion; the story isn’t over yet. The Gadites and Reubenites saw that the region was a good one for livestock, and thought we should settle. But Moses had to remind them that settling prematurely would block the fulfillment of the blessings.
Finally, they agreed. The Gadites and Reubenites would first cross the Jordan and complete the taking of the promised land, and then, they would be allowed to return to the land they had requested. Shortly thereafter, Moses died, and Joshua became the leader. And approximately 7 years later, the Gadites and Reubenites returned to the land they requested.
Moses was gone, and a new leader in Joshua, led the people through their grief and through the conquest, and the promise was never forgotten.
In this season of gratitude, we must be careful not to turn our gratitude into a comfort zone. We often talk about stepping out of our comfort zone, but that implies it’s still there waiting for us to fall back in. We must erase the comfort zone. We eliminate the cycle of stagnation. If you have any comfort zone, let it be the presence of God.
I am by no means saying you should not display gratitude or give thanks at all times; instead, what I am saying is that we cannot allow the moment of accomplishment to become a place of complacency. We cannot allow the pause to become a permanent state. We must keep moving, for our story isn’t over. We must keep moving, for our story ends when we stand before the presence of our heavenly father, and he says, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy’ (Matthew 25:23).