Thanksgiving comes like clockwork year after year after year. We can become so comfortable with the holiday that we forget what it is really all about. Why do we press the pause button each year? What is the big deal? Is it just an excuse to have a day or two off from work? Is it all about the football...food...or frantic shopping? Has it become so routine and so hectic that we don't take time for personal reflection? If it has...we are missing out on so much.
Before this Thanksgiving is over, I plan to take time to look at my life and make a list of all the things I have to be thankful for. My list will probably look a lot like yours:
- Salvation
- Family
- Friends
- My Church
- My Job
- A Beautiful Home
These are all true...and all things I am deeply thankful for. But I realized that if I'm not careful, I will "phone-in" my list. If we really want to fill our gratitude tanks we need to take time to elaborate on each of the things on our list.
Why am I thankful for Salvation?
Without it...there is no hope...no peace and no future. What Christ did was not easy...it cost His life....He endured the cross for me. Sure I put Him at the top of my list...but He deserves more than that. He deserves to be first in my life each and every day. Without Him....I am nothing...with Him....I am a child of the Most High God. Reflecting on His sacrifice motivates me to live for Him and grow in Him.
Why am I thankful for family and friends?
I realize they are a precious treasure, and those we sit around the table with year after year are not promised to be there the next time we gather together. We take it for granted and need to cherish each of the relationships we have been blessed with not just on Thanksgiving but throughout the year. Thanksgiving is a great time to put those relationships in perspective and remember what makes each person in my life so dear to me.
Why am I thankful for my church?
My church is more than just a building or a place I go on Sunday. I don't know what I would do without the men, women, students and kids God has put in our lives that make up His church. They are family. It is a place where I am accepted, loved and challenged. I get to make a difference by being a part of something so much bigger than me. I am thankful for the spiritual journey God has me on. I love the groups of women I meet with every week and the women I have shared life with throughout the years. We have laughed, cried, prayed, cheered, encouraged, challenged and supported one another over the years...doing life together.
Being truly grateful is more than a list...it's a lifestyle! Thanksgiving isn't just a day...it should be a way of life for each of us.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever!
Giving Thanks for each of You today and always!