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Galatians: When “thanks” just doesn’t seem right!
There are some times in life when we may not feel in a very thankful mood.
I watched the news yesterday as a toddler named AJ, who had been missing for 4 days, was found safe. For the previous 4 days, I’m sure his parents were thankful for all the people helping, but what was on their mind the most was probably the safety of their son. For days, his parents had been worried that someone had abducted him. It was their greatest fear.
When he was found yesterday, there was a lot of thankfulness! But for 4 days, there was none.
There are times in life when thankfulness is not really on our minds. Sometimes this is because there are concerns or worries that dominate our thinking.
The letter Paul wrote to the Galatians has no words of thanks. In fact, Paul begins this letter with a very urgent and worried tone. First, he offers them a peaceful greeting: (from verse 3)
Galatians 1:3-5
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
But then he says to the Galatians (from verse 6):
Galatians 1:6-7
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Paul is worried for them. There is no time to reflect on thankfulness at the moment. He has deep concerns for what is happening. The Galatians were lost. And Paul will not be thankful until they are safe.
Paul spends this letter calling them back to the gospel of Jesus. The gospel had set them free from sin and had rescued them. But now, they had started listening to a false gospel, which threatened to pull them away from the freedom and safety they had in Jesus.
Paul’s fear for the Galatians was that someone had abducted them – that someone had taken them away from the true gospel. They were in danger. There was no time to reflect on thankfulness – there was simply an urgency to find them and bring them home. This was a matter of gospel concern.
God encourages us to be thankful people. But we are reminded here in Galatians that sometimes, thankfulness may need to wait. Sometimes there are urgent matters to deal with and it is right to focus on those things. We cannot fake thankfulness when we are distressed and concerned for someone. As Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us, there is a time for everything:
Ecclesiastes 3:4
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance
Are there things that may be preventing you from being thankful at the moment? Are there serious concerns in your life that may be making it difficult to be thankful? Do you need help with these concerns or worries?
It is sometimes right to put thankfulness on hold for a moment. But not forever. Christians are thankful people because of what Jesus has done for us. If you are finding thankfulness difficult, why not talk to someone – check in with a friend to make sure that you are going OK, and that you are not being overwhelmed with concern.
Even with a lack of present thankfulness, Paul still knows what the Galatians need more than ever as he concludes the letter with these words:
Galatians 6:18
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray today for those of us who are not feeling very thankful. Perhaps, like the apostle Paul, there are significant concerns that are taking our attention at this time in life. We pray that these concerns may soon pass. We pray that you may help us to balance the current stresses of life with times of thankfulness. And may your grace be with our spirit. Amen.