Giving Thanks

The Word tells us to give thanks in all things.  (I Thessalonians 5:8)  On the surface it seems like an impossible things to do.  After all, life can dump some pretty rough stuff in our laps.  Giving thanks in the midst of some tornado like upheaval in our life is more than just a challenge for most of us.  Such gratitude goes beyond the boundaries of self-improvement capabilities.  We often think that will power can accomplish anything, but a heavy dose of reality can rapidly change the way we view things.

 

Being able to give thanks in any and all circumstances is not something we can decide to do.  Instead, it speaks of a life style which is a by product of other choices.  We do not become filled with constant gratitude by deciding to do so, but by making other choices which move us in that direction.  One discipline which heightens our sense of gratitude is the practice of paying attention to everything God has put into our path which includes people, places, and the events within the time being gifted to us.  There is something about this view of life which cultivates a grateful heart.

 

What happens as we live with a desire to pay attention to everything and everyone around us is that we began to see blessings that are being poured out into our life and on the pathway we are walking.  Too many times we rush through life without realizing that every minute is filled with the blessings of God.  They do not just come to us on Sunday during worship, or when we are having quiet moments with God, but in every single moment of our days.  To see the field of blessings in which we walk creates a sense of gratitude that is beyond the scope of determination.