Our current series is called rethink thankfulness. Here is this weeks journal info that didn't make the cut.

Thankfulness is an internal emotion created by an external force. Jesus taught us to live with a different approach. What if our thankfulness was an external response to an internal force? What would our lives look like?

One of the most challenging things about being a pastor is that I have all too often been up close and personal to witness the unevenness and lopsidedness of God’s miraculous activities.

This person misplaces his keys and prays to find them. Viola! There they are on the kitchen counter where he’s already looked twice!

That person can’t get pregnant and no amount of prayer opens her womb.

This person’s child has a fever. Her small group prays. The child recovers. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

That person is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder and dies a slow, miserable, painful, gut-wrenching death. His church wonders if their prayer vigil did any good at all.

This family sells their house two days after listing it…for $10,000 more than they asked. Then, they turn around and find their dream home listed for $20,000 less than they were willing to pay. He gets a promotion, and now they can afford to put the kids in private school.

That family loses their house because he was let go at work six months ago. Now they have to move in with her parents, halfway across the country. He’s starting to wonder if he’ll ever find a job.

One time there was a guy named John. He was a prophet. He was also Jesus’ cousin. And he’d seen some incredible things, heard some far-fetched stories, learned things, discerned things, revealed things. He was a good theologian and a trustworthy servant of God. And his service to God earned him a spot in Herod’s dungeon. It’s no wonder that his faith in his cousin began to waver, is it? Jesus knew what was happening, knew all about John’s situation. He wouldn’t leave John in there, would he? Jesus would show up and save the day, right? But Jesus never shows up. He’s preaching in some Podunk place or other, telling hillbillies about the Kingdom of God. John sends some of his friends to talk to Jesus, to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus’ response is interesting, but it’s cold comfort. He says, “If you want some proof, how about these miracles I’m doing? People are being healed and helped. Amazing things happen everywhere I go.” And then he adds, somewhat enigmatically, “Blessed is the man who doesn’t fall away because of me.”

Taken by itself, the statement doesn’t make sense. Why would anyone fall away on account of someone doing miraculous things?

Well…if you’re the one sitting in prison, you’re the one Jesus said was the greatest prophet of all times, you’re the one who helped pave the way for Jesus’ whole enterprise, and not one miracle is coming your way…. “Blessed is the man who doesn’t fall away because of me,” he says. “You know…me…the one who does all this great stuff for seemingly everyone else but who sometimes leaves you to rot in prison.”

Sometimes, thankfulness is hard.