Being thankful

Well more than likely most pastors around the U.S. have probably preached a sermon about being thankful. I don't think there is anything wrong with preaching about thankfulness. I guess the issue I have is that why do we have to wait till thanksgiving to actually be provoked to think about things we are thankful for? We have all heard someone say that they love these holidays for the atmosphere or the air of joy, thankfulness, and gifts. But once again my question seems to beg a response from us as individuals the other 363 days of the year. Obviously I am not making a blanket statement about every person in the world, but in America, especially for the Christian shouldn't an outward/inward thankfulness be evident year round?




1. Thanksgiving should be continuous despite your circumstances:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus"
This passage is one of the landmark Christian passages dealing with thanksgiving. Not only does it imply through language (the Greek indicates a this phrase to be a present active imperative--meaning it is a continuous, command) but also the occasion to give thanks (in all circumstances). This is a lesson that I myself am learning on a daily basis. Our society has ingrained in us a notion that when we are happy things go well, when we are sad then its all terrible. With that comes the idea of giving less thanks when things are difficult or bad, and to give more attention to thankfulness when success, and ease of life comes. I will put this in bold, nowhere does Scripture indicate this thought process. In fact, Scripture tells us that suffering, pain are for our benefit! (read Philippians, Romans 5:3-4, 2 Tim. 3:12) That pain and suffering are part of the Christian walk! (2 Tim. 3:12) and that we will see it in our lives. Once again using this verse, Paul does not indicate that circumstances should dictate our thankfulness or our prayer life, or our joy! (Read back a couple blogs on my entry on joy for a deeper analysis.) Give thanks----always.

2. Thanksgiving is a part of Kingdom living: (Eph. 5:1-4)
What most of us forget (in application not always intellectually), is that thanksgiving is an integral part of our Christian walk! Not only have we been transformed by the blood of Christ, given new life, adopted into a new family, given a Father of perfect love, who never abandons us but its part of our sanctification, part of our newly transformed character!

Ephesians 5:-4
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Once again Paul is writing to the Ephesians about the kind of new life (4:23) they should be living. They were to put off the old self (4:22), put off falsehood (4:25), anger (4:26), and not to let the devil have a foothold in their lives (4:27).
Remember the old Michael Jordan commercials by Gatorade in the early 90's? If not here is one VIDEO (I know I'm dating myself) but the video basically has Jordan doing moves and people desperately trying to imitate him. Paul is using similar language in this passage. He encourages them to "be like Christ", imitate him, look like him, since you are new children of Christ. The old self does all this stuff....you shouldnt, your new, instead you should give thanks! Paul makes it a point for the Ephesian to understand that thanksigiving is part of the new Kingdom life! It will be in the Kingdom, it was part of Christ, and it should be part of our daily life since we are new creations!!!

Unlike our society that tries to hurry up the wonderful aspect of Thanksgiving, to get to Christmas, take some time now to be thankful for some things. Instead of thinking of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Super sales, buy, buy, buy---why not make a list of things your thankful for. But my point is this, being thankful, thanksgiving is NOT a holiday for the Christian! Its a lifestyle or at-least should be.

Be Blessed