Father, I Thank You

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

- John 11:38-41

“Father, I thank you that you have heard me.” Jesus’ friend dies and shortly after Jesus grieves this loss, Lazarus is raised from the dead. His response - “Father, I thank you.”

I don’t know why that one line stopped me in my tracks. Maybe it’s because, when hard things happen in my life, the last thing on my mind is gratitude. Perhaps it’s because, when things end up working out, I’m the first to take credit. Maybe it’s because of all the ways Jesus is so “other.” All of the ways He shows up in the world, countering what our culture would advise. He’s not hopeless. He’s not prideful. He’s not lost.

He’s thankful.

Friend, where is your Lazarus story? Whether you’re still stuck in the irreparable loss, and you’re feeling every negative emotion towards God, or maybe things have finally worked out and the enemy is tempting you with pride - “You did it. All you needed was yourself.” Either way, let’s not lose sight of what is true.

In the grieving, God is good. God is in control. God is faithful. In the rejoicing, God is the only source of all joy and hope.

Self-love doesn’t require self-worship. Together, we look to the example of Jesus. He didn’t get lost in the grieving. He didn’t get obsessed with the glory. Instead, over and over, He looked to the Father with gratitude.

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend on a day when it felt like nothing was going right. My brain was foggy, my heart downcast, and sitting before the Lord felt like a challenge. One of those days where we feel like Jesus, sitting outside of the tomb, weeping. Wishing things had gone differently.

My friend encouraged me: “On those days when there’s a mental block between me and God, I just force myself to start choosing gratitude. I start thanking God for anything I can think of, and slowly, I train my heart to realize He’s still King, no matter what I’m going through.”

Friend, have you forgotten He’s King? It’s time to remind ourselves. Whether you’re on the mountaintop or in the valley - take five minutes right now to thank God for the big and small ways He’s shown up for you. Train your heart.

And, just like Jesus, whisper to the heavens, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.”

Cristina Schmitter

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