I heard a story once of a long international flight announcing that they would provide free wifi to all passengers, which was met with a hearty cheer from all those on board. Within about an hour of the flight, the wifi had crashed so many times that the offer had to be rescinded and no internet access was available to any passenger for the rest of the journey. Unsurprisingly, there were a number of angry complaints during and after the flight. One can imagine that if no wifi had been promised, there would likely have been no complaints about its absence.
How often does this scenario arise in our day to day life? Not simply with spotty internet signal, but when our car doesn’t start, or the microwave is broken, or we have to wait more than a day for an Amazon package? These conveniences which would have been considered luxurious for a king not that long ago are now treated as necessities that we cannot imagine living without.
It is in this spirit that Paul states that he “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phillipians 4:11) and also encourages us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) As we move towards Thanksgiving, let us be reminded of the countless blessings bestowed upon us each and every day.