Expressing my gratitude

There comes a time every year, when we are reminded to be thankful for all that we have. It is a wonderful time of year when we take some time to count our blessings and appreciate a festive dinner together with our family.

I was truly blessed to spend some time with my family and youth this Thanksgiving counting up all of my blessings. However, during these past few days, there seemed to be a disconnect between the things that I said and how they actually were.

When I said that I was thankful about something, was I actually grateful for it? Of course I was. At least in that moment I was thankful. Many places in the bible show us the importance of giving thanks (Ps. 100, 1 Thes. 5:18, Col. 3:17). These passages urge the readers to give thanks, regardless of the circumstances because of the goodness and the faithfulness of the Lord.

Giving thanks is one of the ways that I can express my gratitude. It is important to acknowledge what I am thankful about. However, I believe there are many more ways to express gratitude. I believe that a truly grateful heart will constantly give thanks but it will show other signs of gratefulness. Some of these can be a willingness to give, a consistently positive attitude, and a heart open to serve others.

When we realize all that we are given in this life and become thankful for everything, we will become free to live a life of constant thanksgiving!