Thanksgiving Takes Practice

Posted on November 26, 2007
Thankfulness takes hard work.  You'd think you'd come by it naturally.  But we don't.  I've never met a person who is happy, who is not immersed in thankful thoughts. I've found that only those who regularly look on the sunny side have a shine to their lives. 
Gratefulness is learned.  And It takes discipline.  It requires practice.  Like brushing our teeth, it is an acquired habit.  A habit of brushing contributes physical well being.  Thinking intentional thankful thoughts stimulates a healthy psyche.  (Colossians 2:7)

A check for the good things in your life can be as mundane as being thankful for:

• * All the complaining you hear about government because it means we have freedom of speech.
• * Clothes that fit a little too snugly because it means you have more than enough to eat.
• * Taxes you pay because it means you have a job.

I find when I personally start to drift toward the negative, I have been focused on some elusive destination.  My attitude tends to be I'll someday "pull into the station".  I will have arrived when I accomplish thus and so.  But even if I attain or get close to a particular goal, I've come to realize I still am not satisfied.  I can easily lose sight of the incredible richness of my life just the way it is, even despite (probably because of) my own personal chemo-radiation-surgical battles with cancer, business failure, personally going broke, divorce, and Dad's suicide.

But how are we grateful no matter what happens?  The foundation behind all gratefulness is the fact God who created the cosmos, along with you, me, and everything in it, offers us salvation through Christ.   Sorry, but we're all rotten to the core by nature, but he sacrificed his own son and raised him from the dead because of his immense love for us.  And what we have the option to do is to receive this priceless gift by surrendering to him our heart, soul, and mind.

No decision we'll ever make, will bring us more peace of mind this Thanksgiving, than this one.  It's the one by which all men can win.

One of the board members of the Iron Sharpens Iron Ministry suggested he would read this post at the table before the Thanksgiving meal. Or how about printing a copy of this post and giving it to someone who needs a little encouragement?

I still can sometimes slip into ungratefulness so easily.  But I've learned an exercise to bring me back to thankfulness.  I discuss it in my blog, Beat the Funk-Rubber Band Technique. 

Click my 8 minute audio download, Struggling to Believe God's Love

See all the audio podcast topics you can download for free at menwhowin.com


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