by Dennis Petersen

 A lot has been researched and written about the proven personal benefits of living with a habit of expressing genuine gratitude.  It turns out that thankfulness is not typically a result of being happy, but rather, the opposite is true.  People who deliberately and openly confess their thankfulness to others are the happiest of people.  And isn’t it interesting that those who recognize that their lives have a purpose are the ones who are prone to give thanks to their Creator and to those around them.

Have you discovered your purpose?  Do you have a clear reason why you’re excited to get up in the morning?  If you have a mission to drive your daily goals, you’re a much happier person than those being driven by just a survival mode.

America is a nation of people with a centuries-old tradition of celebrating annual solemn days of Thanksgiving.  Yet, it seems that our current generation has almost no concept of the deeply personal conviction of the crucial importance of gratitude.  And it’s pretty obvious that that gratitude should most deservedly be directed to the Almighty Giver of every blessing and perfect gift in our lives.

The Bible tells us in James 1:17 that:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

It seems like everybody these days is scrambling frantically to demand that their comforts and material desires be accommodated.  How often do we see people so ungrateful that complaints and cynical dissatisfaction has become society’s idea of “normal?”  Things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years have they?

Do you remember the illustration of ungratefulness in Luke 17:7-19?

Jesus healed ten men of leprosy.  One of them was a Samaritan man.  He was the only one of the ten who came back to Jesus and humbly thanked Him for healing him.  Jesus asked him: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”  Sadly, my missionary friend in Africa reports that barely 10% of those they help will bother to express their gratitude with even a word of thanks or a note card.  Gratitude may be rare, but those who express it discover the most enriching lives on earth.  Instead of loneliness, poverty and depression, those who express gratitude despite suffering conditions like that, are often the ones most inclined to be enriched, energized, inspired and transformed.

Gratitude goes counter to the ‘victim mentality’ that has deceived so many who think they’re entitled to everything at the expense of others in our culture.  When we give thanks sincerely, we acknowledge that we have received a benefit that is unearned.  We can’t help but look beyond ourselves.

Let me ask you a question.

When you’re stunned with the reality that you survived what could have been a fatal event, how does that make you feel?

Let’s look back to the time of the infancy of our American republic, two and half centuries ago.

After the victory of the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress was so united in their gratefulness for God’s protection, that they proclaimed the first National Day of Thanksgiving, November 1, 1777.  How did they express their feeling?  Here’s what they wrote in the proclamation:

“The grateful feeling of their hearts… join the penitent confession of their manifold sins…  that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance… and… under the providence of Almighty God… secure for these United States the greatest of all human blessings, independence and peace.”

If we want to reclaim a society that is privileged to even know about our true history, we’re going to have to work at telling our children about our real history.  It isn’t being taught in most schools and colleges today.  Here’s just one example.

Thomas Jefferson was the governor of Virginia in 1779.  What did he choose to proclaim for his State after Admiral John Paul Jones captured the British ship HMS Serapis?  The Continental Congress declared a Day of Thanksgiving, which…

“Congress… hath thought proper… to recommend to the several States… a day of public and solemn Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for his mercies, and of Prayer, for the continuance of his favour… That He would go forth with our hosts and crown our arms with victory; That He would grant to His church, the plentiful effusions of Divine Grace, and pour out His Holy Spirit on all Ministers of the Gospel; That He would bless and prosper the means of education, and spread the light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth… I do therefore… issue this proclamation… appointing… a day of public and solemn Thanksgiving and Prayer to Almighty God… Given under my hand… this 11th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1779” … signed… Thomas Jefferson.”

Hear what that same Continental Congress proclaimed after Benedict Arnold’s traitorous plot to betray West Point was thwarted.  It was a Day of Thanksgiving, October 18, 1780:

“In the late remarkable interposition of His watchful providence, in the rescuing the person of our Commander-in-Chief and the army from imminent dangers, at the moment when treason was ripened for execution… it is therefore recommended… a Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer… to confess our unworthiness… and to offer fervent supplications to the God of all grace… to cause the knowledge of Christianity to spread over all the earth.”

After British General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Congress proclaimed another notable Day of Thanksgiving, October 11, 1782:

“It being the indispensable duty of all nations… to offer up their supplications to Almighty God… the United States in Congress assembled… do hereby recommend it to the inhabitants of these states in general, to observe… the last Thursday… of November next, as a Day of Solemn Thanksgiving to God for all his mercies.”

After the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War, Congress recommended that the States declare a Day of Thanksgiving.  Massachusetts Governor John Hancock, the former President of the Continental Congress, proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving, November 8, 1783:

“The Citizens of these United States have every Reason for Praise and Gratitude to the God of their salvation… I do… appoint… the 11th day of December next (the day recommended by the Congress to all the States) to be religiously observed as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer, that all the people may then assemble to celebrate… that he hath been pleased to continue to us the Light of the Blessed Gospel… That we also offer up fervent supplications… to cause pure Religion and Virtue to flourish… and to fill the world with His glory.”

After the U.S. Congress passed the First Amendment, it requested President George Washington issue a National Day of Thanksgiving, which he did, October 3, 1789:

“Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness; ‘Now, therefore, I do recommend… Thursday, the 26TH DAY of NOVEMBER … to be devoted by the People of these United States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be… That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble Thanks… for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government… particularly the national one now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed… to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue.”

On January 1, 1795, President George Washington proclaimed another Day of Thanksgiving:

“When we review the calamities, which afflict so many other nations… the great degree of internal tranquility we have enjoyed –    the recent confirmation of that tranquility by the suppression of an insurrection which so wantonly threatened it – the happy course of public affairs in general – the unexampled prosperity of all classes of our citizens; our circumstances which peculiarly mark our situation with indications of the Divine beneficence towards us.  In such a state of things it is, in an especial manner, our duty as people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experience…  I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever, within the United States, to set apart…a Day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer: and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the great Ruler of Nations.”

After hearing those inspiring proclamations from national leaders – which, by the way, were entirely inspired by the attitude of profoundly committed preachers in the churches of the American colonies – doesn’t it seem about time that all the pastors of our nation’s Bible-believing congregations today lead the way for reclaiming our lost legacy for the current generation?  Should they not humbly call for days of contrition, repentance and sober thanksgiving?  We have such excellent Biblical and historic precedents to guide our way.

Taking God’s Blessings for Granted

Martin Luther observed: “The greater God’s gifts and works, the less they are regarded.”   It seems that the blessings of life, health, freedom and food are not really appreciated unless they are lost, or threatened. Sunrises and sunsets occur daily so they are taken for granted, aren’t they?

Consider the Stars

Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that “If the constellations appeared only once in a thousand years, imagine what an exciting event it would be. But because they are there every night, we barely give them a look.”

The Blessings of Being Hungry and Lonely

Have you noticed that the blessings of rain are barely appreciated unless one has been through a drought?  A hungry man is more thankful for a tiny morsel than most affluent Americans for their table full of choice foods. A lonely woman in a nursing home will appreciate a visit more than a rock star with a crowd of fans. A Christian who has suffered under persecution for decades and receives his first copy of the Holy Scriptures is more thankful for one book than most of us are for all the Christian books, Bible translations and magazines that overflow our shelves.

Have you ever heard about the life of Helen Keller? After learning it, you’ll appreciate your gift of sight and hearing almost as much as if you were to experience blindness yourself for a few days. Helen Keller said: 

“I have often thought that it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days for some time during his early adult life. It would make him more appreciative of sight and of the joys of sound.”

A Biblical cornerstone

There are at least 138 passages of Scripture that deal with the subject of thanksgiving. We are directed to: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name.” Psalm 100:4.

Here’s another typical example from the book of Psalms.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8.

Do you get the idea that our infinitely loving heavenly Father has inherently created humans with the capacity to thrive optimally when walking in an attitude of gratefulness?

Look how the apostle Paul reflects that same desire in his prayer for gentile believers in his epistles.

“…we pray for you…asking that you may walk worthy of the Lord…bearing fruit…increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power…[and] giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in [His kingdom of] light.” Colossians 1:12.

Again, Paul exhorts…

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15.

And, in another letter, Paul urges…

“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.” Philippians 4:6-7.

Look how Paul includes thanksgiving in his general recommendations for a life of peace.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

It’s pretty plain, isn’t it, that God’s perfect will for us is to be joyful, prayerful and thankful.

A Sacrifice of Praise

“Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.” Hebrews 13:15.

Did you ever wonder, what is it that makes praise a sacrifice?  Could it be that when the blessings we are thankful for have not yet manifested themselves in God’s providence?

Shouldn’t our life be all about creating Good Habits?

“It ought to be as habitual for us to thank as to ask.” C. H. Spurgeon

The Parent of All Virtues

It has been said that a thankful heart is the parent of all virtues.

What are the roots of sin?

“The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness… for although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”  Romans 1:18-21.  

What a revelation!  The failure to give thanks to God is a root that leads to futile thinking and foolish, darkened hearts.  Think about that.

One of the worst identifications of a lost person

In 1 Timothy 3:1-5 the apostle Paul gives a list of some of the most terrible evils including: 

“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, traitorous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power.”  

Did you see that ungratefulness is listed in the middle of a list of horrible depravities?

A Fruit of Character

What’s one of the first lessons good parents teach their children to say? “Thank You.”  It takes humility and courage to admit being thankful to others. It shows that you’re honoring the other person above your own selfish interests. Those who can’t admit their gratitude to others often have difficulty learning new things or adjusting their opinions. Neither can they readily seek forgiveness.

Maturity

Failure to express gratitude is more than immaturity and rudeness.  It’s ungodly. We’re commanded to honor our parents, our elders and our leaders. It’s a sign of maturity to acknowledge gratefulness because it admits, in a slight degree, that we weren’t perfect.  Have you learned anything?  Then it’s reasonable to say that you’re in some degree of debt to somebody else, aren’t you?  We’re all in debt if  you think about it. First, and mostly, we’re in debt to God Himself, for our life, our health, our daily food, our talents, for our family, our friends, our opportunities and, most certainly, for our eternal salvation. We’re also in debt to past generations – the people who have sacrificed for the freedoms we now enjoy. Think of the first selfless disciples of Jesus, most of whom became martyrs for the faith we confess. Think of the pioneers, the missionaries, the soldiers, and all of our parents, teachers, pastors and so many others who have made untold sacrifices of their time, their resources, and their very lives for our benefit.

An Attitude of Entitlement

Instead of the humanly selfless and Godly character of gratitude, our current culture has given in to the childish behavior of self-entitlement. It’s on display all around us isn’t it? After all, don’t you deserve to “have it your way?” The ocean of commercial media marketing that floods our daily thoughts would have us all believe that we are the very center of God’s universe. This attitude is the very opposite of gratitude. Can you see that it builds on pride and covetousness? And it’s fueled by bitterness, greed and envy. All too many in our current humanistic society take all of our endless blessings and conveniences completely for granted. They demand to get, rather than seeking to give.  It is utter wickedness. And it’s a sure road to being led astray by all sorts of empty promises and destructive ideas.

An Attitude of Gratitude

A grateful mind is a great mind. The great Albert Einstein wisely observed:

“There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.“

–Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist 1879-1955

Shouldn’t that inspire all of us to consciously think about and deliberately express a continual daily flow of thankfulness?

I discovered a remarkable insight about a medieval Christian theologian named Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153AD).  He wrote on many things including Love and Gratitude.

 He taught that gratitude flows from love, not obligation. He famously said, “the soul that loves God seeks no other reward than that God whom it loves.” For Bernard, the highest form of gratitude is loving God for who He is, not for what He gives.

This perspective elevates thankfulness far above what you could call ‘transactional reciprocity.’ It elevates thankfulness as a response of the whole person—heart, mind, and will—way up to the beauty and goodness of God himself.

Gratitude is a powerful antidote to despair. Someone has said that “It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment,”

Why not start giving thanks to God and the humblest of servants, like your trash man, for the little blessings in life.  Maybe you could start today to write notes of sincere gratitude to people who have blessed you in any small way.  Ask God to guide your thoughts.  Partner with a friend to hold one another accountable in your new habit of expressing gratitude?

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High; To declare Your loving kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night.” Psalm 92:1-2.

Pride, Ingratitude and Unteachability

Those who refuse to take advice foolishly think they have nothing to learn. They’re often the same people who have a problem expressing a genuine heartfelt gratitude to others. It’s a sign of pride to be ungrateful.  It reveals an unwillingness to acknowledge their need for others.  By God’s grace, when we’re humble enough to admit our inadequacy or our error, God is powerful enough to enable our heart attitude to change.  We can be a thankful person.

The most important aspect of gratitude is that it spurs action.  It compels us to look beyond ourselves to express our gratitude in a way that makes a difference in someone else’s life.  America’s Pilgrims of 1620 did exactly that. They put their gratitude into action by hosting a feast of thanksgiving. They invited honored guests. And their means of expressing their gratitude has become a beloved American tradition.

A turning point for our generation

Let’s Make this season a Turning Point for expressing Thanks-giving.

List 7 things you’re genuinely thankful for in your personal life today.

Call 2 people who you can honestly thank for something they contributed to your life.

Privately talk to God about the gratitude you have for His saving grace.

Take 2 minutes to begin pondering the incredible blessings you have to live now.

Promise yourself you will thank the next 10 people you encounter for something they did for you, even if it’s just a common courtesy.

The results of gratitude?

You will become healthier.  Recent studies suggest that gratitude strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep quality, and reduces inflammation in the body.  Grateful people are also more inclined to eat better and exercise which obviously increases your wellness.

You will become a more compassionate person.  When you make a routine of expressing gratitude to God and to others for tiny courtesies, you are looking beyond yourself.  You will be kinder.  You will be more forgiving. You will find joy in serving others and be willing to bear others’ burdens without expecting anything in return.

When you appreciate what you have, it’s impossible not to share it with others.  On the other hand, you can’t give something away when you’re empty yourself.  When you don’t know how rich you really are, you can’t take delight in sharing little insights with others.  The more aware and thankful we are of the good things in our lives, the more we are able to give to others.

Your relationships will deepen.  When you relate more gratefully to others you will draw closer and bond more deeply to the people in your life.  When you express gratitude to the people you love, you become more satisfied with your relationships.  You will reach out to others more easily.  You’ll be more generous.  You’ll be more forgiving and less judgmental.

A grateful heart is more content, and thus happier, regardless of the circumstances of his life.  And a happy heart focuses more on the really important joys of peace and little blessings that make life worthwhile.  That’s like a healing ointment to restore your health even when modern medicine can’t do it.

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name; make known among the nations what He has done… Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:8, 34.

Here is an uplifting original song accenting Psalm 92; “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High” https://youtu.be/-KQc3xuv3KA?si=XqGx46T1R7NLGD05

Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life.