Pastor Elwin Ahu
October 3, 2004 - W0440

Oftentimes we do not appreciate all that we have, and all that God has blessed us with, until we are in jeopardy of losing it. Sometimes it takes hearing about another family’s experience with a deep personal tragedy to make us realize that God has given us so much. Listen as we share about one such family…

A few months ago, Arnold Takaki was diagnosed as having an advanced form of kidney cancer (Stage 4). That meant that the cancer had spread to various other organs in his body including his lungs, gall bladder and throat. He was given only 2 years to live. Initially, his wife Frieda worried that there would be no tomorrow for them but instead of worrying, they decided to stand firm on their faith and both prayed and prayed. Arnold and Frieda flew up to UCLA where Arnold was accepted into a progressive cancer treatment program. As the first step in his treatment, Arnold underwent surgery where a large tumor – about the size of a deflated football – was removed from his kidney. Miraculously, he was up and around in just a few days, but Arnold knew that his personal trial was not yet over. He still had to go back for more rigorous treatment to eradicate the cancer from the rest of his body.

Arnold and Frieda continued to pray. When he returned to UCLA about 6 weeks later for tests in preparation of his second stage of treatment, to everyone’s surprise, the doctors said Arnold didn’t need any more treatment. The cancer had left his body!  It was a miracle. Arnold and Frieda found a renewed faith in God.  Frieda felt humbled and reminded that we should be forever and constantly thankful for all the little things God has given us. Only Jesus could have performed the miracle.

Stories like this may make you wonder how people can even question the existence of God. The faithful trust and thankfulness Arnold and Frieda had in the Lord through their darkest days are what God is looking for in His people. As the Lord said, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Thess. 5:16-18).

In all situations (good or bad), the Lord wants us to give thanks to Him. This is such a simple instruction yet why do we have such difficulty following it? It is difficult because we allow so many things in the world to influence us instead of God’s will. For example, the average child watches 19 hours of television a week or 1,023 hours a year (which is more than the 900 hours they spend in school.) By the time the average person reaches age 65, they will have watched 2 million commercials! And what does the advertising industry spend $40 billion on commercials trying to do? They try to breed discontentment in us so we will buy whatever product they are selling that supposedly will fix our discontentment. Their goal is to convince us of some dissatisfaction in our life (something that isn’t good enough so we need a better one or something that we don’t have which would make us happier if we did have it) so we will go out and buy their product so we can be happy. However, when we let this type of materialistic, consumer pattern thinking into our lives, we become discontent. Dissatisfied people often confuse their needs with their wants, and soon begin applying that kind of thinking to God. We say to God, “Hey God, I deserve better than this! I deserve a better job...a better wife…better kids, etc.”  We think that if God would only give us more, then we will be happy. We may not say it out loud but during tough times that is what is in our hearts.

That is not what God wants for us. God’s desire for us is that we take comfort in what we have – a spiritual completeness in Him. When you are complete and whole spiritually, you don’t need anything else. His will is that we have a spiritual contentment that, no matter what the world throws at us, we will still be content.  So how do we achieve that contentment?

We achieve it through a heart of gratitude, like the Takakis’, that will carry us through the toughest seasons of our lives. We can learn from the example of thankful people. The first thing for us to realize about contentment is…

1.    THANKFUL PEOPLE VALUE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

When we value something, we do everything we can to take care of it, invest in it and increase its value. I value my relationship with my wife Joy and would do just about anything to keep it…even overlook some of her faults! Once when she was very angry with me (you know how she can be), she scolded me and I was about to answer back but instead, held my tongue and kept silent. Later that night she told me she loved me and apologized. Now, if I had opened my mouth earlier, I would not be here today but I value that relationship with Joy so much that I will do anything to keep it strong!

When we invest in our relationship with God, we learn much more about Him. “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing … Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern”  (Matt. 6:31-33 NLT).

When we value our relationship with God, we can trust that He will do what He says in providing for our needs. People who value their relationship with God let their love of God, not their circumstances, determine their level of contentment. It is the love of God that we carry inside of us that determines our satisfaction, not things on the outside. The world can be crashing down all around people who have a good relationship with God and they will still be content. “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord!” (Hab. 3:17-18 NLT).

So while we understand the Takakis’ contentment and thankfulness in God through their cancer ordeal, and the miracle of Arnold’s recovery from cancer, what about those who do die? Where’s the miracle there? Brian Chock, one of New Hope’s guitarists, died recently after a long bout with cancer but as Brian fought the cancer, he still wanted to serve the Lord so he continued to play his guitar for God. Norma, his wife, expressed thanks that Brian was allowed to serve God in his last days and for all of New Hope’s loving support. In spite of her circumstances, Norma was still content because of her love for God (and the love she knows God has for her.) The miracle in this circumstance is that Brian got a whole new healthy body and life forever in Heaven in the presence of God. He died and rose again. That is the miracle.

Our love for God will be our contentment, not material things. You can be the richest person in the world but without God, it would be meaningless. Jack Whitaker won the largest jackpot in history, $314 million in the Power Ball Jackpot, but kept getting into trouble with the law, drugs and a sinful lifestyle. With so much money, he was still not happy.

The scripture tells us contentment is based on our relationship with God and our willingness to trust Him to provide for all of our needs. Do not take your relationship with Him for granted. Take time in everything you do to find something to rejoice in, to be grateful for and to thank the Lord. If you do this, it will change your life and carry you through the tough times. Listen to this list of things to be thankful for…

·        a teenager at home listening to his CDs rather than doing the dishes because that means he is not out on the street

·        paying taxes because that means I am employed

·        windows that need cleaning because that means I have a home

·        clothes that are too snug because that means I have food to eat

There is always something to be grateful for.  Your assignment is to find something to be thankful for and to pray to God about it.  Remember, contentment is not based on money, power or possession but rather our relationship with God.  While we nurture our relationship with God, another thing for us to realize about contentment is…

2.    THANKFUL PEOPLE FIND PEACE IN THEIR PRESENT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.

Thankful people find peace in their present and not worry about their future because things always change. Although changes in our circumstances may bring us temporary satisfaction, it will not be a lasting contentment. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice…The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phi. 4:4-7). So as the Lord says, rejoice always in Him. Do not be overly influenced by circumstances.

Worldly influences are like appetizers and your relationship with God is the main course. So do not fill yourself up on all the appetizers or you will not have room for God. Sometimes we wait for that one worldly thing that will make us happy instead of working on our relationship with God but if we do that, we may miss out on the main meal! God says to focus on our relationship with Him, now! “Let your character be free from love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’” (Heb. 13:5). If we are discontent with the situation God has put us in, we are telling God that we do not trust Him and that is dangerous because if we are not content with God, we will never be satisfied.

Be content with the presence of God in your life because nothing else will satisfy you. One suggestion is to develop habits that remind us frequently of the presence of God in our lives.  For example, one such habit is to collect loose coins, to pause and reflect on the inscription “In God We Trust” and to say a little prayer thanking God because we can trust in Him.  Lastly…

3.    THANKFUL PEOPLE TRUST IN THE POWER OF GOD.

“Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:11-13). When you invest your time and effort in your relationship with God, your life will be filled with contentment because you will develop a connection with Him similar to the umbilical cord of an unborn child to its mother. Just as the baby is nourished through that cord, you will be nourished spiritually through your connection with God and that will strengthen you through the trying seasons you will go through.

Holy Communion is a reminder of Jesus’ presence and His sacrifice.  The bread symbolizes His body and the wine represents His blood. Let us not only have a season of appreciation but a lifestyle of appreciation:  valuing our relationship with God, finding peace in our present and not worrying about the future, and trust in the power of God.

Study Questions

1.      How has or would an attitude of gratitude change your behavior?

2.      In the saddest time of your life, what were you or could you have been grateful for? Why?

3.      Would being content with what you have decrease ambition?  Explain.

4.      If we are truly thankful and content, why is there still pain in our lives?

5.      How would you apply gratitude to evil people and evil acts in the world?

Thanks so much to Leighton Loo, our volunteer writer, for his willingness to serve joyfully in accordance with God’s will and to share the good news of God’s love.