Do You Have a Thankful Heart?

I remember how, when our children were young, we tried hard to teach them to say, “Thank you.” Each time they would receive something from us or from someone else we would say, “What do you say?” And they would eventually respond, “Thank you.”  Our goal of course was to not only teach them proper manners, but as well what it means to be grateful. The first was easy; the second not so much. After all, just because one says, “Thank you,” doesn’t always mean they feel thankful for whatever it is they have received. Our hope as parents was that, eventually our children’s words would represent something within their hearts. 

With the arrival of Thanksgiving, I want to remind us of not only the importance of giving thanks, but of actually having a thankful heart. Again, the first is easy; the second is a bit harder. How do we go beyond merely saying, “thank you” to a deep-felt sense of gratitude? Let me share a few means of doing so.

(1) Learn contentment. The Apostle Paul wrote of himself, “…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” (Philippians 4:11- NLT) And, “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” (1 Timothy 6:8) You see, a content heart is a grateful heart. Those who are content are grateful for even the smallest things in life; those who are not, are constantly striving for more and are never satisfied with, nor grateful for, what they currently hold in their hands. Again, a content heart is naturally a grateful heart. 

(2) Learn to count your blessings. It’s so easy for us to become accustomed to having a roof over our heads, food on our table, clothes on our back, etc. that we lose our sense of gratitude for the common things (and the most necessary things) in life. The Bible says, “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)  True gratitude naturally flows as we count our blessings, which for the most part are the small, ordinary, and common things within our lives—i.e., the things which we so easily take for granted (e.g., the food we eat, our spouses and friends, the fact that we have a job, etc.). As the old hymn says, “Count your blessings name them one by one…” for as we do, gratitude will swell within our hearts. 

(3) Learn to give thanks to God.  It’s easy for us to begin to think that the things we have in our lives are a product of our own hands—i.e., “I worked hard for that.” We forget that even our ability to work and to provide for our families—no less all of the other things we have in our lives—is a gift from the hand of God himself, the One the Bible calls, the “Lord who gives generously to all who call upon him.” (Romans 15:5)  When we lose that perspective, we begin to develop an attitude of entitlement rather than one of gratitude. But when we realize that all that we have is a gift from the gracious hand of God, we can’t help but be thankful. 

So, as you gather around your Thanksgiving table, whether alone or with others, take a moment to reflect upon all that God has done for you this past year and say, “Thank you.” But more than that, allow those words to become part of who you are and the posture of your heart. May you and I know what it means to have a truly thankful heart. 

Have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving! 

- Pastor Tim Harris