Gratitude

What does it mean to be thankful?  To live with a heart of gratitude?  To reach a sense of contentment amidst the craziness each day can bring?

As we approach Thanksgiving, I think it’s important to grasp the true meaning of being thankful.  The concept of thankfulness is frequently mentioned in the New Testament.  One particular mention is Colossians 3:16-17.  I’ve included a few different translations for us to compare; the emphasis in the verses is mine.

The New Living Translation:

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

The Message Translation:

15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

The New International Version:

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 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.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible:

16 Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

One thing that resonates with me after reading these four translations is the way we are to go about our lives.  With gratitude.  With thankfulness.  What does it look like to have this?  How do we plug in this gratitude in our day-to-day lives?

I think it’s easy to assume that we can be a thankful generation.  We would say we are thankful for our families, our home, our health, our job (maybe for some of us), and our food to eat.  But are we thankful for all things?  Even the things that are difficult or situations that may come our way?  

Having a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude takes a heart settled in God.  Content in His guiding and leading, and aware of His goodness in this life.  A heart that is willing to be “content” as the verses above state.  Content in knowing that God knows our every being and is in every situation that has come before us and those situations yet on the horizon.  A soul that is willing to sit and simply be thankful in all seasons.

It’s a tough place to be when you choose to be “all-in” with God.  We know as well as anyone, there will be trouble in this world.  But what sets us apart is the true Hope we have that this world is not all there is.

To those of you feeling a heavy heart at this Thanksgiving season, know you are loved.  You are enough.  You are seen by God, right where you are in seasons of joy or seasons of deep trial.  Choosing to be thankful in unsurmountable grief, confusion, or loss can seem impossible and absurd.  The world is watching the way we live.  Choose to be thankful, even when it seems too much.  It may just be the miracle someone is waiting to hear about.  And a heart full of God and one with God will prevail in any and every situation.

Happy Thanksgiving friends.  I am thankful for each of you.