Seven Days of Thanks


Day Seven:

I must say that the thought of thanksgiving often fills me with guilt. I know thanksgiving and guilt shouldn't be used together in the same sentence. But often times I don't FEEL thankful and that makes me FEEL guilty.

Today I was doing a bit of reading in the New Testament on the topic - and found something interesting. Feeling thankful is not mentioned in the verses I read. Thankfulness is a verb. We are told to 'be thankful'. (For all you English majors out there...does this make thankfulness a linking verb?)

Not only that but thankfulness is mentioned with other verbs such as singing,
as in Colossians 3: 16-17
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

and in praying as in 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.

and in presenting requests as in Philippians 4: 6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Thankfulness is a decision we make. We decide to be thankful. No matter our circumstances, we choose to focus on the things for which we can be thankful. I suppose when we are focused on that, we don't have so much time to worry about the things we cannot control. I guess my Mom wasn't so far off when she used to repeat "Praise, and Pray, and Peg Away".

So that's my assignment folks. Not to wait for the feeling to come of "Ahhh, I'm feeling so thankful". I will decide to be thankful - in praise, and in prayer and in petition and in putting the pedal to the metal ( I was trying to think of an action that began with "P" :)

The end of the Seven Days of Thanks has come. But the lifestyle of Thanks is just beginning.

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