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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful.” — Colossians 3:15, NIV
Thankfulness involves our hearts and attitudes. At times, we may naturally feel thankful, but at other times, we may have to deliberately adopt an attitude of thankfulness. It may seem easier to be grateful at times such as Thanksgiving Day when most people are conscious about showing thankfulness. However, as the busyness of the holiday season approaches and the year progresses, it can be easy to let the attitude of thankfulness slip away.
As Christians, however, our peace and gratitude should not be a temporary state but an ever-present state of worship and thanksgiving towards God. Through Him, we have life, salvation, and hope for the future. Our attitude toward God and His creation can show our gratitude for the opportunities He has given us.
We can also show our attitude of thanksgiving toward others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as, in fact, you are doing.” Through gratitude, we can encourage one another and show our appreciation for the good others do. We can also thank God for the people in our lives because He gave them to us.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” — Psalm 100:4, NIV
Take a deep breath and feel your lungs expand with oxygen. Now, think of something for which you are thankful. It could be anything from a person in your life to a memory or a favorite item. Even if something specific does not immediately come to mind, you still have things for which to be grateful, such as the air in your lungs.
In Psalm 100:4, we are told to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” When we come to God, we have so many reasons to thank Him. Jesus is the greatest of all these reasons.
Bringing thankfulness and praise to God is a way to worship Him.
“I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” — Psalm 7:17, NIV
When we come to our Heavenly Father in prayer, we can bring both our struggles and our thanksgiving and praise. He wants to hear our joys and blessings as well as our worries and fears. Our prayers can be a reflection of our hearts, and when we practice having an attitude of thankfulness in our prayers, we can grow in gratitude for what we have.
So next time you take a deep breath, stop and take a moment to give thanks and look around at all you have, including the beauty of the hope you have in Jesus.
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