Little children are often taught by their parents to say “thank you” whenever they receive a gift or when someone says something nice to them. As people grow up, sometimes they forget these lessons of “thankfulness” which they have learned.
Being thankful isn’t just a polite thing to do. Giving thanks is more than saying “thank you”. Thankfulness is an attitude of the heart. True thanksgiving comes from being grateful for what we have and for every blessing we receive. Maybe we don’t have everything we need right now. Maybe we don’t have everything we want. What we do not have is no excuse for not being grateful for the good things we do have.
If we focus on all that we don’t have, it will usually make us feel really unhappy. But whenever we choose to be thankful to the Lord for His Goodness and for the good things He has done for us—it will produce joy in our heart.
It has been said that a thankful heart is a happy heart. It is true. Thankfulness leads to joy. Colossians 3.15-17 says, “Let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be thankful… With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Whatever you say or do should be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of Him” (CEV/ NKJV).
Thankfulness is a powerful force that works with our faith (our trust in God). When we live by being thankful, it helps our faith to be strong so that we can receive more blessings from the Lord.
Thankfulness also improves how we act, and makes us enjoyable to be with. People usually don’t want to be around a person who is unthankful, because being unthankful makes them selfish and have a bad attitude. But when a person is thankful and appreciates others, it causes them to have a good attitude that blesses those around them.
Thankfulness is all about walking in God’s commandment of love. Jesus said that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength—and that we should love others as we love our self (Matt. 22.37-40).
Perhaps your friend or family member gave you something that you didn’t like—is that any reason to hate them? No! Perhaps God didn’t answer your prayer in the way you wanted Him to do—are you going to hold a grudge against Him?
Being thankful is really not about the things we do or don’t have. It is not a feeling. Being thankful is a choice that we make, regardless of our circumstances.
Jesus laid down His Life and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have Eternal Life. That alone should be reason enough for us to be thankful every day of our life.
Yet, Jesus has done so much more for us. He has blessed our life with so many good things and has prepared unending blessings that we have not yet even received.
Let’s take up the challenge and live in thankfulness more than we ever have before—every day.
Ask yourself—Am I thankful? And then reply—Yes, I am thankful!
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Sharah LaGail Wyatt is Founder and President of First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR (based in Fort Worth, Texas), with an extensive background in the fine and performing arts and in ministry. She is a member of the International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM). As an anointed teacher, writer/author, graphic artist, musician and composer, she desires to lead people of all ages into the presence of God and into developing a lifestyle of faith, worship and intimacy with Him.
Sharah has authored numerous articles on topics including prayer, holiness/purity, wisdom, faith, love, worship, healing/restoration and living in Christ. She is also the author of several books including: In His Presence: the meaning of true worship (2004), In Christ You Stand (2008), I Will: activating the master switch of the soul (2008). Her monthly ministry publication (newsletter), first published in 2005, is currently distributed in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, East Africa, West Africa, Argentina, Pakistan, India, Singapore, and the Philippines. Her young adult publication, FERVOUR, is distributed quarterly.
The official Website of First Love Ministries International, www.ps27fr.org (launched in 2006), features a full Study Centre exhibiting numerous Online Articles written by Sharah LaGail Wyatt, along with a topical Question & Answer section also compiled by the author. The website continues to receive recurrent visits from more than 60 nations on six continents.