Okay,
let’s be honest: sometimes, it’s just hard to be thankful. Whether there’s a
storm of emotions inside of you, or you’re being lulled by the poison of
apathy, your feelings are not in line. You know you should be thankful, especially for this time of year, but you don’t
want to be.
Sound
familiar?
What are
some ways we can combat this power of unthankfulness? Let’s talk about some
ways to….
Make it real
- Don’t wait for your feelings to lead you. Reality must be the engine on your train, and you must trudge through some hard times of putting feelings where they belong: at the caboose.
- Think about what you deserve. When ads on TV tell you that you deserve something, you can be sure that they are selling something; what they’re selling is Satan’s lie. Physically, we work to earn our wages (what we deserve), but if we were to receive our spiritual desserts, we wouldn’t even be here physically. The wages of our sin (what we deserve) is death. That’s eternity in hell.
- Think about what you have. The fact that you’re alive is a great start, but the new life that Jesus brings when you trust in Him is a mind-boggling trade for what you deserve.
- Count your blessings. And don’t start with “family”, “friends”, and “food”. Go deeper than that. Consider the ways that your mom has blessed your life. Explore the ways your relationship with your sister has changed you for the better. Think about why each friend makes you smile. Be amazed at the thousands of tastes that God has allowed you to experience.
- Write down what you know and what you want to feel. Pull out a paper or journal and write out a prayer to God, remembering what He’s done for you and what He promises to do for you. Ask Him to change your feelings to match what He’s done for you, but in the meantime ask for strength to be thankful in spite of what you feel.
- Practice. After talking to the Lord about it, tell each person in your home “thank you” for at least one little way they’ve impacted your life. Call a handful of friends and do the same to them.
- Say “thank you”. When someone does something that you benefit from (e.g., your mom makes dinner or your husband drives you somewhere), verbalize your appreciation. Whenever you remember what God has done for you, or recognize what you have as His gift to you, tell Him “thank You”.
- Learn to be content with what you have. Recognize your things as gifts. Realize that the people you love are gifts. Consider that your situation (job, marriage, school, health, church) is a gift.
- Celebrate God. Your gift set from God is unique, and as David wrote in many Psalms, God gave him good things and good situations so that David would praise Him.
- Give generously. A greedy or unthankful person does not give of themselves. When you remember that everything is a gift from God, it will not hurt to share it with another (in fact, it will feel great!).
- Let your feelings follow, always. When the feelings of thankfulness and joy return to you, it’s easy to let them roll you along until they run out of steam. Be careful to enjoy feeling thankful, but don’t count on it.
What
would you add to this list of tips for making thankfulness real for you? Add
your ideas in the comment section!
Blessed,
Abby
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