Thanksgiving Thankfulness
Written By
Dr. James Spinnati
1 Thessalonians 5:16 18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Please read that verse again and realize what it doesn’t say! It doesn’t say, “Give thanks FOR all circumstances,” but rather, “IN all circumstances.” No matter how terrible some of the circumstances of life may be, with God’s help there will always be that for which we can be thankful for. And yet we meet people who are “thankfully challenged”. In other words they are never ever satisfied or thankful no matter what the situation is.
That reminds me of the story of two old friends who “bumped” into one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world done to you, my old friend?” The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.” “That’s a lot of money, said his friend.” “But, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand free and clear”, replied the forlorn fellow. “Sounds like you’ve been blessed”, his friend replied. Almost in tears he cried, “You don’t understand! Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million dollars from her.” Now his friend was really confused and said, “Then, why do you look so glum?” His buddy took out a handkerchief blew his nose, and with trembling lips muttered, “This week you know what I got, absolutely nothing!”
How many of us complain about what we don’t have or how bad things are in our lives instead of being thankful for what we do have? How many times a day do we thank God for the blessings in our lives? Remember no matter if you are a Christian or not God blesses each and every one. In fact Matthew 5:45 says, “It rains on the just and the unjust.” So remember, the sun shines for all.
Thanksgiving is one of the few times in our busy lives that we slow down and begin to weigh how blessed we are. So how can we live above the fray? How can we be positive in a sometimes negative world? Well we can begin by examining several factors on our way to contentment:
1. Make sure you thank the right person.
If we’re going to give thanks make sure that it is directed to the One who truly blesses you. It is too bad that idea is foreign to many. There was a story concerning Harriet Martineau who was an atheist that I found quite interesting. One morning she and a friend stepped out into the glories of a beautiful fall morning. As she saw the brilliant sun peeking through the haze, the frost on the meadow, and the brightly colored leaves making their way lazily to the ground, she was filled with its beauty and burst forth with, “I am just so grateful for it all.” A slight pause filled the air, then her friend, who was a Christian, asked, “Grateful to whom, my dear?”
Remember, make sure you are thankful to the right person.
2. Make a list of all the positive things in your life.
I’ll help you with the first one. Now I know this will blow your mind, but you are alive to make the list!
3. Live with an expectant attitude.
If you get out “on the wrong side of bed” climb back in and roll out the other side. Remember, you can’t determine your circumstances all the time but you can determine your attitude!
4. Live with a grateful heart.
Be grateful that you are called upon by God to touch other people’s lives. Be thankful that you have the God given ability to make a difference in a child or a senior citizens’ life.
5. Live with a confident hope.
If you are a believer, live your life knowing that your future is secure! And never forget that you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.
Now, isn’t it nice that you can sit down with friends, family, or just yourself and relish the true meaning of Thanksgiving?