A Life of Thanks-Living
Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts…And always be thankful.”
Thanksgiving is a big holiday in the United States: big meals, big gatherings, big parades and big football games, followed by big retail sales. Instead of just one big day for Thanksgiving, what would happen if our families adopted lifestyles of thankful living all year long? What would it look like to live with proactive gratitude instead of reactive manners?
Scientific research found habitual gratitude is linked to everything from stronger immune systems to better grades. You may have read books like Ann Voskamp’s One-Thousand Gifts that encourage readers to view every detail of life as a gift from God for which we need to give thanks. Whether you’ve read the research and/or the books, the question remains: How do we start living Thanksgiving every day? The answer is simple—literally. You begin practicing thoughts and words of gratitude for the seemingly small and simple details of life and snowball from there. Here are a few ideas to get you rolling into a lifestyle of thanks-living:
- Begin your day thanking God for the gift of time and presence.
- Keep a running list of things you’re thankful for each day (smart phones work well).
- Verbalize sincere gratitude to others often.
- Practice thoughts of gratitude (especially in moments or areas where annoyance tends to settle in).
God doesn’t need to hear our prayers of gratitude to know what He’s done for us, but like a Good Father, He loves to hear from the hearts of His children. He knows a grateful receiver will be a generous giver. As a mom, I know when I’m making my daughter’s favorite meal. In fact, I know before I even purchase the ingredients which night I plan on cooking it. I can estimate the time and energy it’ll require of me to prepare it, but there’s something about hearing words of gratitude from her mouth that bring me joy and give her peace.
When God instructs us to be thankful in Colossians 3:15—“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts…And always be thankful”—it’s because He knows our depth of gratitude is directly related to our understanding of the peace available to us in a relationship with Jesus. They are words from a loving and gracious Father to His forgetful kids….always be thankful.
KC Parent’s Faith & Family columnist Jena Meyerpeter writes from Lenexa. She is sincerely grateful for all of her encouraging and supportive readers. You can follow more of her writings at UnravelGrace.com