We are one week away from the National Holiday called Thanksgiving. The irony of Thanksgiving is that while we set aside this one day of the year to express our gratitude for all the things we have, the very next day we make a spectacle of rushing out to buy all the things we don’t have. Gratitude is not something to be reserved for one day of the year. It is something to express every day of our lives.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
Notice that the Apostle Paul did not say give thanks only at Thanksgiving. He did not say give thanks only in the good times. He did not say give thanks only when you feel like it. He said to give thanks in all circumstances. Give thanks even when you don’t feel like giving thanks.
Gratitude is not an emotion. It has nothing to do with how much or how little we have. We all know people who have much and are ungrateful. We also know people who have less and are filled with gratitude. The reality is that the people who have more are often the least grateful people.
A way to think about gratitude is to compare it to a muscle. When you use a muscle, it will grow and be toned. If you fail to exercise the muscle, it will atrophy. The same holds true for gratitude. If you use it, it will grow. If you fail to express it, it will atrophy. Gratitude is something to be conditioned.
Believing the possibility starts with recognizing what we already have. If you are not content with what you already have, you will not be content with what you don’t. Gratitude is a conscious choice. It is to recognize the abundance that God has already given us.
In the book of Exodus, God calls Moses from the burning bush. Moses doubts his ability to fulfill God’s calling and lead the people out of slavery. Moses fears he lacks the sufficient resources to make it happen. He has all the excuses in the world. God then asks Moses a curious question:
The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” Exodus 4:2 (ESV)
It didn’t seem like much. Moses was working as a Shepherd. He had the clothes on his back and the staff in his hand – not exactly the tools of slave freeing freedom fighter. But it was not about how much or how little Moses had. It was about the power of God to use that staff for his good purposes. God would perform mighty miracles through that staff and through Moses.
You already have everything you need already at your disposal to live out the life God wants for you. Consider what you have already been given. It is more than you realize. Ask God to help you have an appreciation for the people, the opportunities, the experiences, and the things he has already put into your life. Ask him to help you see the possibilities.
The opposite of gratitude is a sense of entitlement. We live life thinking we deserve more than we have got. It is a sad way to live because we will never be fulfilled.
Gratitude flows out of humility. It is recognizing that we don’t deserve anything from God. The world does not owe you or me anything. Everything we have is by the grace of God. Grace is God’s undeserved favor. The ultimate expression of this grace is the gift of Jesus.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31–32 (ESV)
Thank you Lord we have all we need and more!
Questions for Reflection
- Do you agree that gratitude is a conscious choice? Why or why not?
- How do you grow in gratitude?
- How does gratitude help you accomplish more?
- Share your comments.
Cheri says
This brought me so much peace this morning. I feeling of grace washed over me and a smile came to my lips as I read it. I know all this to be true and it makes me even more grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.