Always Be Thankful: Reframing things can help us cultivate gratitude.

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Always Be Thankful: Reframing things can help us cultivate gratitude.

Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, November 23, 2025

I read the following:

When I glimpse the well-worn spine of The Hiding Place on my bookshelf, I always think first of the fleas and the horror of human beings forced to sleep in flea-infested straw bedding in a concentration camp. And then I remember with amazement and deep conviction the prayer whispered on that straw by Betsie ten Boom and recalled by her sister Corrie: “Thank you, God, for the fleas.”

The first time I read The Hiding Place, I was in my mid-20s and, after a lifetime of assigned reading, was rediscovering the joy of reading for pleasure. Drawn to biographies of faithful Christians, I couldn’t devour them fast enough. I went to these books in search of worlds and experiences outside my own from which to mine wisdom. I gobbled up books such as Peace Child, Evidence Not Seen, A Chance to Die, Shadow of the Almighty, Surprised by Joy, Living Sacrifice, and Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God. But I returned over and over again to Corrie ten Boom and the Beje in Holland, her jail cell, and the flea-ridden bunk she shared with her sister in Ravensbruck, deep in the cold, darkened heart of Nazi Germany.

Corrie’s memoir begins happily enough as she recalls her home, work, and family life in Holland. A cloud hangs over her telling, however, because as all students of history know, war looms on the horizon. When Nazi Germany invades and occupies Holland, Corrie notes small and confounding changes around her: stars of David appearing on passersby, windows of Jewish businesses broken by rocks, ugly words appearing on synagogue walls. Eventually Corrie and her family notice Jewish neighbors disappearing—to where, they aren’t sure—so they begin hiding Jews in their home and working with an underground network to spirit them to safety.

Corrie, her father (Casper), and her sister (Betsie) are eventually betrayed by a fellow Dutchman, arrested, and imprisoned. The two women are ultimately transferred to Ravensbruck, a German concentration camp. While in the camp, bedded down with the fleas, sickly Betsie shares a post-war vision with Corrie: She must tell what she’s seen—not merely the brutality but also how the love and forgiveness found in Christ surpasses the evil and hate of the world. Corrie must tell, Betsie implores, how God was there among them in their deepest suffering.

Betsie doesn’t live to see the reality of her vision, but Corrie does. She’s released from the concentration camp based, she’d later discover, on a clerical error. This divinely appointed clerical error set her on a trek all over the world to proclaim what she’d seen and experienced—a story of God’s faithfulness during some of the worst suffering humanity could invent.

As a young woman, I was a grateful recipient of Corrie’s story. I needed her honesty as she attempted to reconcile faith with suffering. When Betsie thanked God for the fleas, I was almost repulsed. I resonated more with Corrie than Betsie when Corrie said, “Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.” When Betsie expressed compassion for the Nazi guards, earnestly praying for souls hardened by hate, I stood with Corrie on the opposite side, uncertain if forgiveness could ever come. But through certain circumstances that revealed God’s goodness, God did make Corrie grateful for the fleas. And when, after the war, a former guard in her barracks extended a hand, asking for forgiveness, Corrie chose to offer it despite her feelings.[1]

Thankfulness is beneficial, but how do we thank God for difficult times?

My theme today is: Always find ways to give thanks.

Reframing things can help us cultivate gratitude.

  1. The world is groaning.
    1. Romans 8:18 reads: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
    2. Paul had been writing about how we are adopted. Paul had been writing about how we are fellow heirs with Christ. Paul had been writing about how the Spirit testifies that we are children of God. Now, Paul begins to write about how our present suffering does not compare with our future glory. Paul writes about our hope.
    3. I notice that Paul acknowledges suffering. Do you notice that?
    4. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time… Paul mentions “sufferings,” but also “present time.”
    5. We all suffer in the present time. We are all going through struggles. We all go through illnesses, whether it’s ourselves or our friends and family who face them. We all go through mental illness, if not ourselves, our friends and family face mental illness. We all go through spiritual attacks, temptations, and even spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-12). This is true whether we realize it or not. We suffer.
    6. Paul acknowledges here that we suffer.
    7. Paul does not say, “the suffering is not real…” Paul does not say, “toughen up…” No, Paul is comparing the suffering with our future with Jesus.
    8. Paul says the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
    9. Paul is contrasting the two.
    10. Paul is referring to the resurrection of the body.
    11. We are to make our present pain seem small in comparison to what is coming.[2]
    12. 2 Co 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…
    13. 1 Pe 4:13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
    14. Someday God will make all things new. That is in Revelation 21:1-4.
    15. What is coming? Let’s look at the next few verses.
    1. Romans 8:19 reads: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
    2. Paul now broadens the subject matter.
    3. In verse 18 Paul used “I” and “us.” These are both personal pronouns. Now, Paul looks at this from a broader view. Now, he looks at this not from an individual perspective, but rather from a broader perspective. Now, Paul writes about all of creation suffering. All of creation is waiting with “eager” longing… or, literally, “eager expectations.” All of creation is waiting expectantly and how are they waiting “eagerly.” All of creation is earnestly waiting. As one writes: He personified it as leaning forward eagerly in anticipation of the great day in which God will fully redeem it too (cf. Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 9:28).[3]
    4. What is all of creation waiting for? Creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.
    5. Who are the sons of God? That is us, we are sons and daughters of God, and that is powerful. Remember verse 16 about this, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
    6. Creation is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed, and this would mean glorifying the sons of God when all is made new and right.
    7. What is wrong with creation? Sin. Everything is fallen, all creation is depraved and needs redeemed. “All creation” means all animals, insects, stars, asteroids, rivers, oceans, cells, everything is marred by sin.
    8. Look at Romans 8:20-21: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
    9. Everything, all creation, was subjected to futility. One source says: This refers to the inability to achieve a goal or purpose. Because of man’s sin, God cursed the physical universe (Ge 3:17–19), and now, no part of creation entirely fulfills God’s original purpose.[4]
    11. One source shares: Verses 19–21 are Paul’s commentary on Gn 3. When Jesus returns to earth with His people, the curse will be lifted from the world. Inanimate creation is personified in this passage as looking forward to the restoration of creation.[6]
    12. Creation was subjected to futility, but not willingly… how? Who is the “him” who subjected it? This happened at the fall. God ultimately subjected it, but this happened because of sin entering the world, but there is a goal. Verse 21 shows that creation is waiting to be set free.
    13. Look at Romans 8:22-23: For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
    14. All of creation is waiting for redemption. Look at the language Paul is using. All of creation is undergoing labor pains. All of creation is going through childbirth. In verse 23, Paul comes back to us. All of creation is groaning in childbirth, and so are we. We, Christians, have the first fruits of the Spirit. That means that we have the first fruits, that is a pledge that more is to come.
    15. What is the first fruits? I think the first fruits would be the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts (Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:22-23).
    16. We are first groaning and waiting eagerly for adoption as sons, but we are ultimately waiting on the redemption of our bodies.
  2. We wait patiently and confidently (verses 24-25).
    1. Look now at Romans 8:24-25: For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
    2. Paul talks about our hope. We were saved with the hope of when God will make all things new.
    3. We hope, not for what we see, but what we do not see.
    4. This is why we wait with patience.
    5. We do not see our hope, but we trust in the promises of God.
  3.  Applications:
    1. Our suffering does not compare to our eternal life (verse 18). We must remember this. We must always remember that this world is the only hell we will experience. We must always remember to keep it in perspective.
    2. We must always remember that people in heaven are not thinking that they wish they lived longer.
    3. We must remember that God has a better plan, all of creation is fallen (verses 20-23).
    4. We must know that we have the first fruits, we have the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance (verse 23).
    5. We must remember that we have hope. In Christ, we always have hope.
    6. We must patiently wait for when God restores all things (verses 24-25).
    7. We must share the good news of Jesus with others.
    8. As we reframe, we can give thanks.
    9. Think about reframing-

Learning the Bicycle

by Wyatt Prunty

Learning the Bicycle

for Heather

The older children pedal past
Stable as little gyros, spinning hard
To supper, bath, and bed, until at last
We also quit, silent and tired
Beside the darkening yard where trees
Now shadow up instead of down.
Their predictable lengths can only tease
Her as, head lowered, she walks her bike alone
Somewhere between her wanting to ride
And her certainty she will always fall.
Tomorrow, though I will run behind,
Arms out to catch her, she’ll tilt then balance wide
Of my reach, till distance makes her small,
Smaller, beyond the place I stop and know
That to teach her I had to follow
And when she learned I had to let her go.[1]

[1] Poem: “Learning the Bicycle,” by Wyatt Prunty, from Balance as Belief. © John Hopkins University Press. Accessed on 11.19.2025

https://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php%3Fdate=2004%252F05%252F15.html

Let’s get practical:

Pastor Ricks Sams writes:[1]

“The early morning hour should be dedicated to praise: do not the birds set us the example?” – Literary great, CS Lewis, quoting preaching great, Charles Spurgeon.

Let’s make the entire month of November 30 days of praise.

Research also shows that simply WRITING down three things every day for which you’re thankful is a key to happiness and a prescription that battles the blues—depression and anxiety. Don’t just say or think it if you want the power of this prescription.

Watch the mega-viewed youtube video on “Happiness At Work” by clinical psychologist, Dr. Shawn Achor, the doctor who actually prescribes writing your praise. In truth many doctors and social scientists have reported on the health-giving properties of praise & thanksgiving.

Hmm??? Who would have thought of that before all this research?

Actually, God did over 3000 years ago when the many Psalm writers penned commands like these: “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name; for the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100).

Note in this Psalm how connected thanksgiving and praise is with gladness and joy. Also contained in these commands is getting a firm grip on who we belong to, also tied to joy. How many references to “his” did you count?

Why commands? Because God loves us and wants us to experience the best life possible. He knows how we get that because He created us. Do you recall how giving us life abundant was one of the reasons Jesus came:?“I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

On top of all this a growing body of research shows what we say or think first thing every morning sets the tone for the next 24 hours*.

[1] Rick’s Ramblings email on 11.18.2025

Blessed Assurance:

1       Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

2       Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight:

Angels descending bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3       Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Savior am happy and blest:

Watching and waiting, looking above,

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Chorus        This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.[7]

[1] From Insight for Living Daily Broadcast: Putting Grace into Action, Part 3, Nov 18, 2025


This material may be protected by copyright.

[1] Hoover, Christine. Gospel Coalition; July 1, 2019; accessed on 10.06.2025. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/finding-courage-hiding-place/

[2] Paraphrased from Piper, Desiring God, pages 283–284

[3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ro 8:19.

[4] John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ro 8:20.

[5] https://bibleworm1.wordpress.com/2019/03/15/the-redemption-of-possums-part-1/

[6] Michael G. Vanlaningham, “Romans,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1757.

[7] Logos Hymnal, 1st edition. (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995).

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