Day 22

“Enter his courts with thanksgiving….”  This is not to be an annual event on Thanksgiving Day, but a daily attitude of gratitude.

“Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   —I THESSALONIANS 5:18

Today, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and it is interesting to note that psychologists tell us that gratitude and thankfulness are the healthiest of all human emotions. 

Robert Emmons, in his book ‘The Psychology of Gratitude’ writes, “There is a whole cluster of related characteristics that seem to go together; optimism, hope, gratitude and happiness. Some of these are based upon early life experiences and on positive relationships with other people, but my research shows me that primarily, gratitude is a deliberate attitude. In other words, it’s a choice that we make. Very little of a person’s sense of well being seems to have very much to do with their circumstances. Rather it depends on an inner attitude of life and spirit of gratitude.”

He then goes on to say, “When someone has a sense of entitlement, or has rights to things, or thinks that other people owe them something and that other people are responsible for their condition, then these positive characteristics of optimism, hope, gratitude and happiness are usually blocked in their lives.”

Does that make sense and seem familiar to you?  I am sure we all know people who fall into the category of displaying the ‘gratitude attitude’, and know others who are the ‘mumble grumblers’.

But what does the Word of God say?  Psalm 100 tells us to, “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth”, and then gives us good reasons for doing so, leading to “Enter his courts with thanksgiving….”  This is not to be an annual event on Thanksgiving Day, but a daily attitude of gratitude. Then we will see its rich fruit in our personal lives and in our families, spreading out to our communities and society at large. Paul’s words in Colossians 3:17 are a good motto to live by: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”