Have you ever felt unthankful?  Before you read any further, I want to thank you!  Thank you for checking out this site from time to time.  Thank you for your words of encouragement and feedback.  Your friendship and kindness are greatly appreciated.  The time you set aside to read these posts means a lot to me.  I treasure you.  You matter.  You are loved.

However, time can play some pretty funny tricks on you.  It’s always fun to start out on the Yellow Brick Road, but then something begins to change.  What was once a source of joy and gratitude can become a burden.  You want children and then they become teenagers.  You love your new car, but then notice some rust one day while washing it.  You wanted the new job but now it’s become a source of frustration and there’s never enough left over at the end of the month.  So what’s really happened?

Lets face it, our zeal for life and all things new can deteriorate quickly.  It just seems to come with the territory.  Worse yet, the problem only compounds the more we carry out our inventory.  Not only do our cars rust, but so do our relationships, our finances, our devotion, our physical fitness.  It’s especially painful to watch our loved ones struggle.  Our aging parents and pets are daily reminders that things are changing.

If you’re going to safely navigate hardships and change in life, you’re also going to have to change your attitude.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 says this, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  This verse wouldn’t be so difficult if it weren’t for the word all.  But notice it doesn’t say be thankful for all things.  What it says is be thankful in all things.  No matter what happens.  No matter how you hurt.  No matter what the weather forecast is or the state of the stock market, unthankfulness is never an option.

In fact, mature people are thankful people.  Not thankful for what happens to them, but thankful regardless of what happens.  The point is, no matter what happens, we all still have something to be thankful for.  If you lose a limb, but you’re still alive, you’re still in the game.  If you’ve gone through a divorce and you still have a place to live, you have something to be thankful for.  If the stock market crashes and you still have something to eat, you have something to be thankful for.  If your church splits tomorrow and you still have a family, you have something to be thankful for.  You get the idea.  An attitude of gratitude helps you find the gold in the ashes.

A greater appreciation begins with an appreciation of what you have, not what your going to get.

A greater appreciation begins with an appreciation of who you are, not who you’re going to be.

A greater appreciation begins with an appreciation of who you know, not who you’re going to meet.

A greater appreciation begins with an appreciation of what you have left, not what you’ve lost.

No, thankfulness does not ensure an easier course, but it does provide a smoother ride.  Why not take a few minutes to thank God this morning.  Thank him for Jesus.  Thank him for your family.  Thank him for your shirt….Take a pen and paper and write down 10, 20, 30, or 100 things you’re thankful for.  Trust me, the expression ‘thank you’ is packed with two powerful words!  What are some of the things you’re thankful for?