任何時刻都是感恩節
2025年11月24日By Robert J. Tamasy
任何時刻都是感恩節
IT IS ALWAYS TIME FOR THANKSGIVING
隨著又一個年度即將結束，這意味著世界上的某些地方，即將迎來一年一度的感恩節慶祝活動。人們各自於十月和十一月，在加拿大、美國、賴比瑞亞、聖露西亞，以及非官方的在巴西、德國和澳洲的諾福克島(Norfolk Island)等國家或地區，慶祝感恩節。雖然指定在特定的一天來表達感恩，並且為我們所領受的祝福表達感激，是很好的事情，但是我們沒有理由，不能在一年中的每一天，都感受並表達感謝。無論我們的處境如何，總會有值得我們感恩的事物。
隨著年歲漸長，我意識到生命是何等脆弱。2006年進行的心臟開胸手術，幫助我明白了這一點。現在，我每天醒來時，都喜歡重溫詩篇118篇24節的確據：「這是耶和華所定的日子，我們在其中要高興歡喜！」每一天都是來自神的禮物，無論我們面對的是令人興奮的工作日；抑或是充滿挑戰的一天；在週末放鬆休息；準備參加禮拜聚會；還是踏上期待已久的旅程。
想想看：如果我們知道工作即將迎來艱難的一天，我們可以感恩我們擁有工作、身居重要的領導職位，或是經營著企業。倘若我們遭逢意料之外的挫折：例如痛失了重要的生意或合約，如果我們堅持不懈，就可以為了將來的成功感恩。
對我來說，我可以感恩以下這些事物：度過了五十多年的高低起伏、如同雲霄飛車般的婚姻；我所愛，同時也愛我的孩子與孫輩；身為作家與編輯的充實事業，遠遠超出了我最大的期望；甚至，像是會跳動的心臟，這樣簡單的事物。
最重要的是，我感謝神，將我從原本可能是一場災難的生命中，拯救出來。祂不僅賜給我永生的確據：「……叫你們知道自己有永生。」(約翰一書5章13節)，更賜給我現在就擁有的，真正豐盛的生命，正如耶穌在約翰福音10章10節中所應許的：「……我來了，是要叫羊得生命，並且得的更豐盛。」
我們活在一個持續被告知：我們不斷需要更多、再多也不嫌夠的世界裡。然而我們可以感恩的是，與神建立關係能夠讓我們認知到：生命中還有比物質更重要的東西。以下是聖經教導我們，關於感恩及感謝的幾件事情：
為凡事感恩。當我們的生命一切順遂時，感恩很容易，但是當難關與逆境來臨時，就沒那麼容易了。然而，往往是透過那些艱難的時刻，我們才得到了生命中最偉大、最深刻的教訓。「凡事謝恩；因為這是神在基督耶穌裏向你們所定的旨意。」(帖撒羅尼迦前書5章18節)
為我們可以為自己的需要禱告而感恩。當事情似乎超出我們的掌控時，我們可以感恩，因為我們可以轉向那位，掌管一切的神。「應當一無掛慮，只要凡事藉着禱告、祈求，和感謝，將你們所要的告訴神。」(腓立比書4章6節)
為神的「所是」感恩。作為基督徒，我們的盼望在於，神永遠不改變的屬性與信實。「當稱謝進入他的門；當讚美進入他的院。當感謝他，稱頌他的名！因為耶和華本為善。他的慈愛存到永遠；他的信實直到萬代。」(詩篇100篇4-5節)
© 2025。 Robert J. Tamasy 著有《職場大使：CBMC福音與門徒訓練使命的延續》、《卓越商道：現代職場中的箴言智慧》、與 Ken Johnson 合著的《以牧者心志追求人生》，以及與 David A. Stoddard 合著的《導師之心》。
反省與問題討論
第一、你聽到「感謝」(Thankful)或「感恩」(Thanksgiving) 這些詞時，會想到什麼呢？
第二、現在，你能立刻想到哪些，值得感恩的事物呢？請解釋你為什麼會對此心懷感恩呢？
第三、對你來說，感受與表達感恩，有多容易呢？面對困難的時刻，你如何能夠感受並且真誠地展現感恩呢？就像有個人寫過的：當我們覺得無法感恩的時候，我們如何仍然能夠說出「謝謝」呢？
第四、有時候我們會聽到人們說「我很感恩」，或是「我很蒙福」，但是他們並沒有表達自己是對誰，或是對什麼心存感恩。那麼你呢？你對誰心存感恩，又是為什麼呢？
挑戰思考
無論你居住的地方是否會慶祝感恩節，你仍然可以擁有自己的「感恩日」。本週，請回顧過去的一週、過去的一個月、過去的一年，甚至是更久的以前，回想那些你心存感激的事物。甚至是在事後回想起來，證明其實是祝福的逆境與掙扎。將你的想法與感恩跟他人分享，可能會很有幫助：好朋友、正在提供建議或是指導你的導師，或是你定期會面的分會。
備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考下面的經文 : ( 因篇幅有限，請自行參閱未列出的經文：詩篇107篇19-22節，詩篇116篇17-18節)
詩篇95篇1-2節
95:1 來啊，我們要向耶和華歌唱，向拯救我們的磐石歡呼！
95:2 我們要來感謝他，用詩歌向他歡呼！
哥林多後書9章8-11節
9:8 神能將各樣的恩惠多多地加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，能多行各樣善事。
9:9 如經上所記：他施捨錢財，賙濟貧窮；他的仁義存到永遠。
9:10那賜種給撒種的，賜糧給人吃的，必多多加給你們種地的種子，又增添你們仁義的果子；
9:11 叫你們凡事富足，可以多多施捨，就藉着我們使感謝歸於神。
提摩太前書2章1-6節
2:1 我勸你，第一要為萬人懇求、禱告、代求、祝謝；
2:2 為君王和一切在位的，也該如此，使我們可以敬虔、端正、平安無事地度日。
2:3 這是好的，在神我們救主面前可蒙悅納。
2:4 他願意萬人得救，明白真道。
2:5 因為只有一位神，在神和人中間，只有一位中保，乃是降世為人的基督耶穌；
2:6 他捨自己作萬人的贖價，到了時候，這事必證明出來。
提摩太前書4章4節
4:4 凡神所造的物都是好的，若感謝着領受，就沒有一樣可棄的，
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IT IS ALWAYS TIME FOR THANKSGIVING
MONDAY MANNANov 24, 2025
IT IS ALWAYS TIME FOR THANKSGIVING
By Robert J. Tamasy
With the end of another calendar year fast approaching, that means it is time for the annual Thanksgiving celebration observed in some parts of the world. Thanksgiving is observed in October and November in Canada, the United States, Liberia, Saint Lucia, and unofficially in nations like Brazil, Germany, and the Australian territory of Norfolk Island. While it is good to have a specific day designated for giving thanks and feeling grateful for blessings we have received, there is no reason we cannot feel and express thankfulness every day of the year. No matter what our circumstances might be, there is always something deserving of our gratitude.
As I have grown older, I have realized how tenuous life is, Having open heart surgery in 2006 helped me to understand that. Now when I wake up each day, I like to review the assurance of Psalm 118:24 that, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Every day is a gift from God, whether we are confronting an exciting day at work – or a challenging one; relaxing on a weekend day; preparing to attend a worship service; or embarking on a much-anticipated vacation.
Think about it: If we know a difficult day at work is ahead, we can be thankful that we have a job, are in an important leadership position, or own a business. If we have encountered an unexpected setback – such as the loss of an important sale or contract – we can be thankful for future successes if we persevere.
For me, I can be thankful for a marriage of more than 50 years that has endured a rollercoaster of ups and downs; children and grandchildren that I love and who love me; a fulfilling career as a writer and editor that has far-exceeded my greatest expectations; even something as simple as a beating heart.
Most of all, I am thankful for God saving me from a life that could have been a trainwreck, not only giving me the assurance of a life that will not end – “…so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13) – but also giving me a life now that is truly abundant, as Jesus promised in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
In a world that keeps telling us that we need more and more, that too much is never enough, we can be thankful that having a relationship with the Lord enables us to recognize that there is more to this life than just material things. Here are a few things the Scriptures tell us about thankfulness and being thankful:
Being thankful for everything. It is easy to be thankful when things in our lives are going well, but not as easy when hardship and adversity come. But often through those difficult times come our greatest and most profound lessons in life. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Being thankful we can pray for our needs. When things seem beyond our control, we can be thankful that we can turn to the God who is in control. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Being thankful for who God is. As followers of Christ, our hope is in the unchanging character and constancy of God. “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 100:4-5).
© 2025. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. When you hear the words “thankful” or “thanksgiving,” what comes to mind?
2. What are some things you can think of immediately for which you are thankful? Explain why you are grateful for them.
3. How easy is it for you to feel and express thankfulness? When facing difficult times, how can you feel and act genuinely thankful? How can we, as one man wrote, say “Thank you” when we do not feel thankful?
4. Sometimes we hear people say things like “I am thankful” or “I am blessed,” but they do not express to whom – or what – they are thankful. How about you – who are you thankful to, and why?
Challenge for This Week
Regardless of whether a day of thanksgiving is being observed where you live, you still can have your own “Thanksgiving Day.” This week review the past week, the past month, the past year, or even further back than that, and recall things for which you are thankful. Even times of adversity and struggle that in retrospect proved to be a blessing.
It might be helpful to share your thoughts and expressions of thankfulness with others – a good friend, someone who is advising or mentoring you, or a small group you meet with on a regular basis.
NOTE:
If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages:
Psalm 95:1-2, 107:19-22, 116:17-18; 2 Corinthians 9:8-11; 1 Timothy 2:1-6, 4:4
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