A Discourse on Thankfulness

Today I was struck with thankfulness.  In America, we have determined one day a year for thankfulness, but is the measure of what we should be thankful for so meager that we can fit it into a single dinner conversation?  Or, have we so lost our sensitivity to being thankful that we spend all our time focusing on that which we desire but do not have to the neglect of that which we should be thankful for.

To be sure, this discourse is not referring to a grandchild being thankful for their birthday present from Grandma, but we are attempting to get at the heart of thankfulness, which as is true in everything, the ultimate form is found in reference to the True and Living God.

Thankfulness, by definition, is a dense verb that is rich with meaning and significance.  Because of this, it can be surprisingly challenging to nail down a succinct and concise definition of what thankfulness is.  Nevertheless, defining thankfulness is a necessary endeavor in order to have a base for discussion, and so: thankfulness is an active perspective of appreciation and relief over the reception of something that one would, without an acting external agent, not have in our possession.

The "something" that is received can be physical resource, relationship, intellect, gift, or any thing else.  The essence of thankfulness, though, is not as concerned with the thing received as much as it is in the fact that it is received outside of our own ability to achieve, seize, or find it on our own.  Instead, thankfulness praises the One who gives, who is God.

In truth, thankfulness is to be an ever-present attitude or way of life that is to characterize every God-lover.  As Paul says directly, "Be thankful (Col. 3:15)."  So thankfulness, at its heart, is a recognition of God and all that He has done, is doing, and will do.  If we take this to be our understanding of thankfulness, then we should be thankful all the time.

Everything, every situation, every relationship, and every blessing in life, then, becomes an opportunity for us to lavish thankfulness upon our gracious Lord.  This has been a necessarily-brief discussion on thankfulness, but the point is that thankfulness is to be an ever-present attitude that permeates every aspect of our lives.  Praise God, therefore, in thankfulness for all that He has done, all that He is doing, and all that He will do!  Amen.