I often feel a little awkward when a group leader wants participants to share something we’re thankful for right off the bat. I hope she won’t call on me first so I have a little time to think.
In the midst of a heavy trial is another time it is hard to be thankful. The weight of what we’re going through overshadows thankful feelings.
Then other times, nothing bad is going on, but life just seems mundane, unexciting. If someone asks us what we’re thankful for at those times, we’d likely draw a blank.
These are all occasions when we might not feel thankful. But thanksgiving isn’t a feeling. It’s an action. And, ironically, giving thanks even when we don’t feel thankful often leads to feeling thankful.
It doesn’t usually take a lot of thought to find reasons to be thankful. And if you’re like me, once you get started, it’s hard to stop!
When going through a trial, I can be thankful that:
- God is with me.
- He promised to give me grace and help me.
- He knows just how much to allow.
- He loves me.
- He is interested in my growth even if I am not.
- He has a purpose in all He allows and works it for my good.
When life is mundane, I can be thankful that:
- A respite is provided from busyness.
- God is with me, even in the small moments.
- When I do things as unto the Lord, they are important even if they are not big.
- Quiet days provide time to listen to others.
When life is busy, I am thankful that:
- God gives strength.
- God quiets my racing heart.
- God gives peace.
- Rest is coming.
Any day, I can be thankful that:
- God saved me.”Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).
- God comforts me. “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Isaiah 51: 3).
- God helps me. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalm 28:7).
- God loves me. “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (Psalm 107:8).
- God forgives me. “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me” (Isaiah 12:1).
We often look to our circumstances for reasons to be thankful. But we can be thankful for God Himself and His wonderful attributes:
- “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (I Chronicles 16:34; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136).
- “Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness” (Psalm 30:4).
- “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:2-3).
- “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 9:1).
Among the many admonitions and encouragements to be thankful in the Bible is this, from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (NKJV). In everything–all circumstances, the ESV says–there is something for which we can be thankful.
Thanksgiving often spontaneously overflows when news is good or something happy occurs. But when we’re going through something hard, thanksgiving isn’t easy. The Bible says sometimes praise is a sacrifice. When we remind ourselves who our God is, what He has promised us, and how He loves us, we can find abundant reasons to thank Him.
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Stray Thoughts 
Happy Thanksgiving and Sunday.
Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, too!
I’m often caught flatfooted trying to think of something I’m thankful for, because there’s nothing spectacular that happened in the past week. But God is always good and I’m certainly thankful for his goodness and for the everyday blessings, I just worry that it sounds cliche to say I’m thankful for family and friends. I agree that starting to list the reasons to thank God leads to more and more reasons coming to mind and thankfulness to overflow!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I do think that’s part of it–we don’t want to share the same old things. But it’s good to be continually thankful for God’s everyday goodness and gifts.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. God bless you all.
Thank you, Melissa. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Always so much to be thankful for … I agree though that it can feel awkward to be put on the spot about it. I can always start with 1)God is with me, and 2)God is good. Thank you for a thought-provoking post–and Happy Thanksgiving!
Those are great things to be thankful for! In public settings, sometimes we think we need to come up with a flashy answer. But good old truths are wonderful blessings.
Barbara, I so appreciate the reminder that thanksgiving isn’t a feeling…it’s an action. I think we see an answer to prayer, or we have been given something we really wanted our emotions trick us into thinking that thanksgiving is a feeling…but as you pointed out so beautifully, that’s not the case because we are told to give thanks in ALL things. As I was reading down over your lists and came to “when life is mundane”, I knew that it was one that I struggle with. I need to be thankful, as you said, that I can see it as a time of respite from busyness.
I also love it that you included that there are times when thankfulness is a praise is a sacrifice. I just came across that again recently in my Bible reading.
Sometimes when life has been super busy or there’s some crisis going on, I’ve wished for those everyday mundane days back. I try to remember that when life is mundane again.
I think we do feel spontaneously thankful sometimes, but other times it takes some thought.
I wholeheartedly agree, Thanksgiving is an action – so often our blessings are hidden – I remember being a busy mum of two children rushing around, housework felt a necessary task that took up my precious time, but now, when I wash the dishes, I find deep joy in connecting with the lovely plates I bought 7 years ago, how I still enjoy running my finger around the little embossed hearts in the centres. Or I just put my hand on the washing machine, and thank it for its hard work, remembering the time when using a twin tub was an exhausting task. yes, Barbara you are absolutely right, once you start you begin to see blessings everywhere. warmest wishes from England x
Being thankful is certainly a choice. Sometimes, it comes spontaneously but other times I have to work it up.
I usually have to think about it for a minute or two. But once I get started, it’s hard to stop.
A beautiful post – thank you! This year, instead of having everyone go around the table saying what they are thankful for, I am going to ask them to tell me something good in their life right now. My hope is that we will all encourage each other and spark gratitude that will carry us into the holidays.
That sounds like a good question to ask. Usually, by the time others share a few things, my mind is brimming with things to be thankful for. There’s just something about that question in the beginning that makes me blank out. It’s like when my kids ask me what I want for Christmas–my mind goes blank and I have to get back with them later.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I’m not comfortable with being called on for that either, even though as you point out, we always have much to be thankful for. Maybe we feel should have something new and spectacular to share. Yet all of these are special.
I think that is part of the issue with asked to share publicly what we’re thankful for–we think we need to say something new or creative, when that’s not necessary at all. Still, I like knowing ahead of time that question is coming. 🙂 The church we attended when we first married had a Thanksgiving service before Thanksgiving Day, where people could share publicly, and that was one of my favorite services of the year.
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I often struggle but usually because I have so many things to be thankful for both big and small that I just don’t know what to focus on!
Wonderful post, Barbara. This is so true: “Giving thanks even when we don’t feel thankful often leads to feeling thankful.” I hope you are having a lovely Thanksgiving. I’m grateful to know you.
Such a heart lifting Post🌷God bless you!
Great encouragement in your post! Over the past couple months I have been studying the Psalms. Reading a Psalm each morning helps me be thankful. God’s steadfast love is repeated often.
What a terrific post, full of thoughtful ideas for fixing our minds when things are tumultuous. My two go-tos are knowing that God is always working and that He has good purposes.
This is great Barbara. You are so right here. These are wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement.
Thanks so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friends this month.