“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” (I Thessalonians 5:18).

It is God’s will for us to give thanks in everything. This runs counter to the analytical process that is necessary for many of the functions in everyday life. If you are a parent, a coach, a teacher, an employer, an administrator, a pastor, a choir director, or any kind of leader for that matter; you are constantly evaluating situations, statistics, and individual performances. You are looking for things that need to be improved or corrected and thinking of ways to implement those changes.

As a leader, you need to be able to spot error, identify problems, and bring solutions to bear. However, the more accustomed we are to this way of thinking about our surroundings, the more likely we are to develop a mindset where we just look for what is wrong in our surroundings. After thinking this way long enough, we tend toward the kind of demanding, perfectionist attitude that borders on griping. It is barely more than glorified complaining. It is thinly-disguised bellyaching. This attitude is quite the opposite of thanksgiving.

So, we are faced with a dilemma. In everything find fault, or in everything give thanks? What is the solution?

It is a matter of perspective. We must remember that God is in control. He reigns supreme over all. We are finite beings, and many things are beyond the reach of our influence. He wants us to acknowledge that He is God and He is good. When we do, we can be thankful in all things.

This doesn’t mean that we cannot be leaders. It does not mean that we cannot have vision. It does not mean that we cannot give direction in the areas of our responsibility. It does mean; however, that we need to keep a biblical perspective, realizing that every good thing we enjoy comes from the hand of God. When we think this way, we can be thankful every day. We can truly be thankful in all things, especially on Thanksgiving.