Every November in the United States, it’s traditional to focus on the theme of the holiday, Thanksgiving Day. We spend time hunting down delicious recipes and delectable words to share at the table when we say our many thanks. My mind swirls with more reasons to not feel grateful than posturing a thankful attitude.
Have an attitude of gratitude—bleeeek.
Keep a thankfulness journal—double bleeek.
Choose to be grateful—seriously? Triple bleeck.
I think about the family in my church who lost a fifty-year-old husband and father last week. Three weekends ago he hustled through the church hallway preparing the scenery for an upcoming Christmas event, and then a couple days later he was in ICU with an undiagnosed illness. By day ten, not even life support could keep him alive. Gone.
When I watch television a commercial from a hospital asks for donations to cover the costs of cancer-ridden infants and young children. Tearful parents tell their stories of watching an insufferable disease steal their son or daughter’s chances for a normal childhood.
I shake my head while the commercial airs, feeling a pang of hurt in my heart. What about hungry children? In my mind, I scream at the television. How about all those lonely senior citizens? The World News airs, and I hear of the wars around the globe. I see the dying children. And seniors. And fifty-something men and women. All ages. Gone.
Definitely—not thankful.
How can I justify being thankful when everything is so wrong?
I’m digging for the answer because I don’t want to follow the gratitude tradition just because. I want to know why being thankful is a good practice. The internet yielded a multitude of answers. In an article on self-development from the South African College of Applied Psychology or SACAP, they list fifteen ways to improve our well-being – number ten on the list is to count our blessings.
Science backs up the attitude of gratitude.
Another Google search provided answers to my question in an article for The Journal of Happiness Studies entitled “Promoting Gratitude as a Resource for Sustainable Mental Health.” The results of the study group showed these health benefits from practicing gratitude.
- Improved sleep
- Eased stress
- Reduced anxiety
- Lessens depression
- Healthier heart function
More Evidence for a Thankful Attitude
Literature models more examples of grateful attitudes. Winnie the Pooh’s best friend, Piglet, noticed how important thankfulness is. “Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” And who can forget Tiny Tim’s positive attitude from A Christmas Carol? From Charles Dickens to Willie Nelson, everyone has a quote about thankfulness.
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson
Is the practice of gratitude legitimate or trendy?
Science, literature, celebrities, and self-improvement gurus all give the practice of thankfulness a thumbs-up. But how old is the practice of gratitude? Is it a fad that will end, something to fill in the silence at table conversations in November, or a way to live our lives? Digging into the past, I found what King David had to say:
“It is good to say thank you to the Lord, to sing praises to the God who is above all gods. Every morning tell him, “Thank you for your kindness,” and every evening “rejoice in all his faithfulness.”” Psalm 92:1-2 TLB
From this passage, I learned to thank God every morning and evening. Twice a day. Even when I can’t think of anything to be thankful about I can thank God for his kindness and faithfulness.
Here’s the clincher. I want to establish a thankful heart in order to live the way God wants me to live. I don’t need everything in my life to go perfectly to find a reason to be thankful. Not an easy choice, but even when I don’t feel thankful or understand all the circumstances, Jesus teaches us to establish a practice of thankfulness. He’s also told us not to give up on unanswered prayers. In the book of Colossians, Jesus tells us to continue praying.
“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” I Thessalonians 5:18 MSG
“Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers, and remember to be thankful when they come.” Colossians 4:2 TLB
Although we may think we know the solution, we are to thank God while we’re watching for his answers then thank him when the answered prayer comes.
Thankfulness is an Old Practice for a New Heart
Trendy practice? Not according to the Bible. In spite of circumstances and the things I’m not thankful for, I’m commissioned by God to work on a thankful heart. Amid all the tragedies in this world, I will be thankful. After this brief dive into gratitude, I’m feeling a bit more thankful and I’m ready to give my new attitude a spin. How about you?
I’ll start first. But … no, I’m not ready for a Thankfulness Journal; however, my thought life is going to make a change. And yep, I want a good night’s sleep.
Today I’m thankful for the last bouquet of zinnias from the garden whisked inside by my husband before our first hard freeze. The colors and shapes of the flowers brighten my kitchen and my heart. Mostly, the flowers remind me that spring will come again.
Your turn. What are you thankful for despite everything?
Okay my friends, in the words of Tiny Tim, “God Bless Us Everyone.”
