Thankfulness
Do you know someone who is constantly complaining? It’s not pleasant to be around negative people. But on the other hand, being around someone who always finds something to be thankful for is a great joy. If we feel so blessed to be around thankful people, shouldn’t we also try to bless others through our thankfulness?
When teaching our children good manners, some of the first words we taught them were to say “please” and “thank you”. Most people don’t want to be taken for granted, nor do they want their actions to be taken for granted. Giving thanks is a way to express to others that you aren’t taking them or their acts of kindness and thoughtfulness for granted. For example, when I’m trying to merge into a busy lane of traffic, another driver already in that lane will notice and kindly let me merge in front of
their car. I sometimes express my thanks by flashing my back lights twice to the driver behind me. Now maybe you aren’t that conscientious about thankfulness, and that’s okay. How about starting out by remembering to thank someone at least once a week… this could be someone you’re living with, the mailman, the cashier, a neighbor, someone who compliments you, a brother or sister in Christ who prays for you, a tech savvy friend who appreciates what you wrote, etc… and of course, let’s not forget to thank God! After all, God is the one who created us, gave us the oxygen we breathe, provides the food that we eat and the energy to get out of bed, the ability to think and make moral choices. He has spoken to us, and provided us with His viewpoint, salvation, forgiveness of sins, an example, His presence and power to do what is right, and the list could go on and on. So many big and little things that we can thank God for each day.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18