Every day should be Thanksgiving for the believer

  • Amber Rice Miller
  • November 17, 2013
  • 379
                        
Summary: Amber shares the importance of having a thankful attitude. I’m very grateful to Abraham Lincoln for establishing Thanksgiving, a day when we reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for. I’m not trying to discount Thanksgiving, but I believe we, especially those who are followers of Jesus, should make this attitude of thankfulness a way of life, not just practice it during a Holiday season. We should live with an “attitude of gratitude”. Having a thankful attitude is so important. Thankfulness softens your heart; it makes you appreciate what you have, appreciate God, and appreciate others more. Have you ever noticed that people who are the grouchiest and unhappiest are generally the ones that are the least grateful? Picture in your mind someone you know who never seems happy and I think you will agree. Some people come to my mind and they definitely aren’t ones who make a habit of being thankful. Rather, they have a habit of complaining and focusing on all the negative things in their lives. A thankful heart leads to contentment, while an unthankful heart leads to discontentment. Romans 1:21 says: because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. An unthankful heart leads to a hardened heart towards God. In essence, you are saying “God, you haven’t done enough for me.” This leads to an underlying bitterness towards God for all the things that are wrong. But a thankful heart keeps you sensitive towards God. Since I have learned more about the grace of God, and what this really means, my thankfulness level has increased dramatically. And that is what scriptures tells us will happen. Second Corinthians 4:15 says: For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. When the gospel of grace (unmerited favor) is taught and received, it causes hearts to abound in gratefulness towards God. I can verify that in my own life. I used to think when I did good God “owed me”; that I deserved a blessing from Him through my good works. I sure didn’t understand that grace is His unearned, unmerited favor towards me, and that my actions could never even put a dent in the debt that Jesus paid for me. Since my eyes have been opened to the fact that God doesn’t owe me anything, but He freely gives to me anyway because He loves me, it causes thanksgiving and gratefulness to flow freely from me towards God. I don’t have to force myself to thank God. I rejoice that I get to thank God! What a privilege I have to thank my wonderful God for all the incredible things He has done for me at the expense of His innocent Son. We really try to stress having a thankful attitude with our sons. We want them to truly be thankful and not have an entitlement attitude that is so prevalent today. The other day I was busy doing something and A.J. wanted to play “Go fish”. No one else wanted to play so I dropped what I was doing and told him I would play with him. That little boy ran up and hugged me and said, “Oh thank you Mommy! Thank you so much!” His reaction really blessed me. Think about how much it must bless God when we thank Him! I want to encourage and challenge you to live with an attitude of gratitude. Ephesians 5:20 says “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Thank God for everything He has done for you. Not just the big things but the small things as well. A hot shower, clothes to wear, a place to sleep. These things may seem insignificant, but I can guarantee when you start thanking God for them you will not only appreciate them much more, but will also find yourself growing closer to God in the process! (Questions or comments? Amber can be reached at amberdeemiller32@gmail.com)


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