To be truly grateful is work. Hard work!
Sometimes saying “thank you” is almost like a platitude; something that’s said just because, and not necessarily with any meaning behind it. For example:
Hi-how-are-you?
I’m-fine-thanks.
If you’re like me, you’ve noticed that many times, people who ask how you are do it because it’s the thing to say, and they do it in passing, never expecting a response, let alone an honest response. So, the automatic reply is “fine, thanks”. Except that more often than not, we’re not fine. And we certainly ain’t thankful about it.
There’s a cute little passage that tells us we should thank God no matter what happens because that’s how He’s called us to live. **sigh** His ways are never easy, are they?! We’re to love each other, including our enemies. We’re to be kind to each other. We’re to turn the other cheek. And now we’ve gotta work on being grateful as well, no matter what??
I don’t think it’s any coincidence that this little verse comes after we’re told to be cheerful and pray always.
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thess 5:16-18 (The Message)
Reality is though, that it’s easier to get through life when we are working on being more cheerful and prayerful. It’s easier to see the things worth thanking God for, even when everything around us seems like an epic fail. Or worse yet, when the people we’ve been praying for get their extra special God blessing, in our gratefulness on their behalf, in the back of our minds, we wonder when will it be our turn…
((Bonus: I saw the keyword for today’s five minute Friday topic and this song immediately came to mind. I wanted to share it with you all.))
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Your turn. It’s Thanksgiving time in the United States. Those of us in Canada already got a head start on our gratitude and gratefulness in October. I certainly don’t mind spending more time being grateful. So, write away, for 5 minutes straight. It’s amazing the twists and turns your mind will take on this exercise. Click below to link up. Please visit a blog or two (or more) before you and leave a comment for them too.
