The Discipline of Thanksgiving

Scripture:  Ps. 100:4 - Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him,  and bless His name.  For the LORD is good.

Have you ever had the pleasure of working with someone whose natural inclination seemed to be unending thankfulness?  I have.  There was a woman with whom I worked several years ago; she seemed to enter each day with a spirit of thanksgiving!  They called her “Miss Pat.”  Although she was very goal-driven and somber-minded, she was nonetheless a very pleasant woman, who happened to love lighthouses!  She had multiple representations of them scattered about her office featuring those tall immovable-looking structures!  They were on mugs, tapestries, and a calendar, often depicted as rising above a tumultuous seashore at hightide.  She showed me the ropes of that parttime position, while uttering rather frequently (and almost inaudibly, ‘Praise the Lord!  Thank You, Jesus.’)  She was infectious with her praise, and unabashed.  I once asked her why lighthouses were a preferred fixture in her life.  (I just wanted to hear what insightful response she would give.  I imagine that I also wanted to hear something of her testimony).

She shared that though she had survived many seasons of adversity, as well as times of rejoicing and triumph, her relationship with Jesus, without exception, has always loomed larger than any of the low points.   He has been her dependable “Lighthouse” guiding and steadying her trek through health challenges, personal tragedies, career, and relational struggles. Most of us are aware that such experiences are ingrained in the landscape of our lives. Jesus said so in John 16:33.  

I don’t know if Miss Pat is still around, but when I worked with her, she was a living example of 1 Thessalonians 5:18—“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”   Are there people in your sphere of daily activities who are encouraged by your disciplined practice of genuine thankfulness?  Let us recommit ourselves each day, upon waking, to thankfulness and praise.  It will set our heart to embrace a godly perspective throughout the day and bless those with whom we rub elbows!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, please help us to daily rejoice Your heart and bless those of others, by living habitually in a heart attitude of thankfulness.  Thank You, in Christ’s name. Amen!    

(by Denise Diggs )