The Importance of Being Thankful

I love this month we’ve set aside to be thankful. My heart embraces the changing colors of the leaves, brisk morning walks, and the smell of pumpkin bread baking in my oven. I even like the shorter days and longer darkness. I’m thankful for the change of seasons.

As a friend and I closed our phone conversation the other day, she said, “Oh…oh…oh… I have to ask you something somebody asked me the other day.” She paused for a thoughtful moment and then shot this question through the airwaves.

“If you woke up tomorrow to find only what you thanked God for today, what would you have?”

It took me a minute to process her query.

When I finally understood the question, I ran to my journal, because my brain couldn’t remember what I had written only a few hours earlier. I was thankful that I had written down my prayer that morning. The beauty of ink. Permanent of sorts.

Thankful for Forgiveness

It’s funny how you can forget something that was paramount three hours earlier. But I had. When I read my entry, I was surprised by my words. I hadn’t started the penned prayer with my usual list of thanks: blessings, family, home, Jesus, friends, etc. These were my words:

Thank you, Lord, for forgiveness. Thank you for that word this week. Thank you for the freedom it brought me. It released me from me. It released me from my own pride and self-conscious pain. It was supernatural how quickly it brought peace to my heart. I’m not sure why except for You. Your ways are mysterious and can’t be explained in the deep places.

I was elated to think if my friend’s question actually came to be, I would have forgiveness. That’s all. It was strange how that thought gave me peace. I would miss terribly the wonderful blessings I have in this world, but I would have the most important ticket to enter the throne room of grace.

Thankfully, His forgiveness is not dependent on my daily thankfulness. Mercy and kindness are in His DNA and Jesus has paid the price–I can’t earn it. But I will ponder this question about thankfulness for a few days. I pray I never take any of my blessings for granted.

The Thankful Focus

I love Thanksgiving, both the holiday and the attitude, because I’ve learned how thankfulness can change my perspective from what I don’t have to what I do. It doesn’t magically bring back those I love who’ve left this world too soon or fix all my problems, but it does do something to my heart. Somehow thanksgiving gives me joy and strength.

A friend told me that her problems were running neck to neck with her blessings. That’s probably the case for many of you reading these words. If so, can I share with you a secret–something I’ve learned to do during the very hard days? I’ve learned the power of thankfulness. It does seem magical, but it’s so much more.

Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the language of Love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me. A thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora of problems. Instead, it rejoices in Me your Savior, in the midst of trials and tribulations . . . .  ”

Jesus Calling

Thankfulness is the Language of Love

Oh my friends, please read that quote one more time, maybe out loud. Thankfulness doesn’t change everything, but it is the door to intimacy with the Father. It enables us to communicate with the Lord, the One who loves us more than life itself.

3 Things to Do if Your Heart Hurts

If you are struggling with sadness or worry this season, please know you’re not alone. Not only do you have others around you fighting battles too, you have sisters and brothers praying for you and a Father who has not left your side. When I struggle with shadows in my soul these three things help:

1. Get Outside. I go for a walk either at sunrise or sunset or both, breathe in the cool fresh air, and look up to the heavens. If you can’t walk, get out to your porch and sit awhile with the One who made the beauty around you.
2. Journal pain and blessings. I journal my heartache and then I list five things I’m thankful for.
3. Get into the Word. I read scriptures about the goodness of God and the reasons to be thankful. Nothing lifts the shadows like God’s faithful truth.

The Sacrifice of Thankfulness

Sometimes being thankful is not easy. The Father knows that. He knows there will be days in our lives when our thankfulness is a sacrifice.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Psalm 107: 21-22

The ancient Hebrew is beautiful here. Under our translation lies a word that connects thankfulness with a special sacrifice. Read this commentary: “The word describes an offering of thanksgiving or sacrifice of thanksgiving. It is a subcategory of the fellowship offering–or the offering of well being….” (Key Word “Towdah” p. 1980).

The Offering of Fellowship

I love this. Thanksgiving is an offering of fellowship with the Lord. And isn’t that what faith is all about, fellowship with God? I don’t want to be like a grumpy Israelite who focused on her negatives rather than her blessings. I want to nurture my relationship with the Giver as I recognize daily manna.

Love Him, beloved. If you wonder how to love the Father, and you need to make this commandment tangible, be thankful. Let your thankfulness open the door to deeper intimacy with Holy Spirit.