Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. builds up excitement in millions of homes across the country. It's always been interesting to me how Thanksgiving is not just a season to practice gratitude, but also the commencement of the holiday shopping season all across America.
We all know how Thanksgiving is immediately followed by Black Friday — a time when shoppers focus on the things they want and how easily they can get them. I hate to generalise, but generally it's ironic how these two dates follow: a day for national gratefulness and a day for national consumerism.
And, to be clear, I would definitely hate to be the naysayer that says shopping is evil. There is definitely nothing wrong with shopping, but there is a great danger with what it can do to you when your heart isn't in the right place.
It's virtually impossible to be thankful when contentment does not rule the heart. It's almost as if the two come hand in hand and you can't have one without the other. Contentment leads to gratefulness, and gratefulness builds our contentment more.
I'm easily reminded by what Paul says in Philippians 4:11, "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need."
Many times so much of what we do and think is driven by what we believe we should have to be happy, to feel fulfilled or to have a positive attitude towards God and others. I believe that everyone is driven by the mindset that says "as long as I have so and so, then I will be happy." I admit to being a slave to such thinking many times.
Discontentment has a powerful effect over our hearts. But the good news is, so does gratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
The power in thanksgiving lies in the fact that God intends it, and what God intends God champions.
God desires to impute nothing but gratefulness in our hearts, teaching us to look not only at the things we need, but also the things we already have. This changes not just our perspective, but the way we live. Gratefulness gives birth to excellence, stewardship, better relationships and, more importantly, the glory of God.
Anything with the power to honour God proves itself to be really powerful, and that's exactly what gratefulness does. Psalm 50:23 says, "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"
If you examined your heart today, would you attest to seeing more of the power of discontentment or are you driven and energised by the power that lies behind the gratefulness that God intends to build in you?
