Soaring on the Wings of Thanksfeatured

Don’t you love this title?  I am sure that the events of 2020 have culminated in our united desire to soar on the wings of thanks. I can hear you thinking, “It’s official, she has lost her mind!”  

This year many people have found gratitude in short supply; certainly not nearly enough to soar anywhere!  When we are surrounded by illness, strife, suffering and everything else 2020 has dished up, it can be hard to have a heart filled with thanksgiving.

Yet, the apostle Paul tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  Paul was all too familiar with less-than-ideal circumstances as he endured multiple instances of stonings, beatings, and imprisonment – yet his instruction is to give thanks.

Paul knew the secret of giving thanks to God despite his circumstances. In 2 Corinthians 1:10 Paul shares the source of his attitude of gratitude: “On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.”  Sometime when we find ourselves beset by never-ending challenges; it is hard to remember the rock-solid hope that we have in Christ Jesus.  When we begin to focus on that hope instead of our circumstances, the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to begin to flex our spiritual “wings.” 

It is always a choice.  Will I cling to despair or hope?  When we choose hope, I have found that the Holy Spirit begins to open my eyes to the small gifts: a ray of sunshine, the song of a bird, the smile of a friend.  At that point, it becomes easier to follow Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Our spiritual “wings” then begin to lift our focus and attitude.

But it doesn’t stop there. Thanksgiving leads us to praise God, the giver of all good gifts.  Psalm 100:4 tells us, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”  Genuine praise further strengthens our “wings” and the Holy Spirit enables us to soar as we complete the cycle.

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11-12).

When I discovered these verses a couple of days ago, I began to realize that God created a beautiful cycle for us.  Though his Spirit we are able to move from hope to thanks to praise and then to generosity.  When we soar on wings fueled by hope, thanks, praise and generosity, God will use his beautifully designed cycle to bless those around us.  That alone is cause for thanksgiving!

The verse that accompanies this painting, Soar, is my prayer for you this season. “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139: 9-10). May you experience his loving presence as you soar on wings of thanks. 

Happy Thanksgiving!