Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love

by Edward T. Welch

And we aim our thankfulness at spiritual matters—what is permanent and certain, from the Spirit, rather than temporary. Spiritual means that we peer through the things seen so we can see the things unseen. It includes forgiveness of sins along with all the other benefits and fulfilled promises we have in Jesus and through his death and resurrection. Notice why spiritual matters deserve priority in our thanks. We should be thankful for physical health or for a job following a season of unemployment, but if our thankfulness is grounded on only those things we can see with our eyes, which do not have longevity, we will, someday, have no reason to be thankful, because someday we will be unhealthy, and suddenly we can turn from thanks to bitterness.