I grew up with my parents and teachers modeling and instructing me on how to be polite. Being polite included saying, “Please” and “Thank you.” I have always tried to continue that practice in my life and pass it on to my children and grandchildren. But as I matured, I began to see the difference between saying thank you and living a thankful life.
My parents telling me to say thank you to someone who gave me something or did something for me was the beginning, but as I grew and matured, I learned that it was important to live a thankful life. I have considered some of the practical ways of living a thankful life. As I have often been the recipient of the blessings of others, I want to have opportunities to bless others in return. In the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it reminds us to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Consider the following practical ways of living a thankful life:
• Saying thank you and really meaning it! Let the words mean something from the heart.
• Becoming aware, and not taking for granted, the cost, sacrifice and effort it cost others to do for you. I am especially humbled when I realize what someone went through for me in time, effort resources and sacrifice.
• Let the people who are closest to you know you are thankful for what they do for you and for them personally. Don’t take for granted what your family and friends do for you. Verbalize it!
• Brag more on others than on yourself. Give other people the credit for what they do and treat what they do as being more important than what you do.
• Give back. Giving thanks has a lot to do with what we receive, what we have been given, the blessings we receive; but the other side of a thankful heart is wanting to give back to others. Give to others; pay it forward and be a blessing to others.
• Do something totally unexpected for others; something extra they would least expect you to do for them. I think they used to call these “random acts of kindness.” It’s time to resurrect “RAK’s”
• Learn the art of humility. Consider the blessings others give to us and things people do for us and receive it with humility. This is an attitude contrary to “the world owes me a living” attitude. I realize I am more thankful when I consider the fact that I do not deserve what others have given or have done for me, or the blessings I have received in life. When I get the idea that I deserve it, I lose touch with my grateful attitude and replace it with grumbling and complaining.
• Learning the art of being content. For me, it is considering that I have a glass half-full and am grateful for what I have. My focus is not on the half-empty glass, but the half-full glass, and am thankful for that. Learning to be grateful in all things brings contentment to my heart.
• More than just doing for others and giving back is “going the second mile” by seeking always to be a blessing to others. How can I make someone’s life a little better today? A smile? A handshake? A pat on the back? An encouraging word? Seeking out someone to say thank you for making a difference in my life? A helping hand?
• Remembering to give God thanks. Thanksgiving was originally a feast to offer thanksgiving to God for the bountiful harvest He provided. God has provided so much for us – life, family, friends, a great community, a loving church, and most of all; forgiveness for our sins and taking away the guilt of our sins. Through Jesus, we find peace with God and ultimately peace and forgiveness within ourselves. God’s blessings are abundant for us! He does so much for us we don’t even realize.
Being thankful and giving thanks is a growing, learning, maturing process. Don’t ever stop growing, learning and maturing in our gratitude. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all the blessings in our lives!
• Dan Wiese is pastor at the Church of the Nazarene.
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