A cartoon showed a turkey and a fortune teller hovering over the crystal ball. The fortune teller said, “I see you surrounded by family … well, not your family!”
I feel for the turkeys this time of year, don’t you? Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching. Giving thanks is more than displaying good manners. Giving thanks enhances our spiritual and physical health.
Here are six facts about giving thanks:
First, numerous Bible verses command us to give thanks. For example, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good” (1 Chron. 16:34) and “Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 106:1).
God’s wonderful works
Psalm 107:1 repeats, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” and then underscores the importance of thanksgiving four times by repeating “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (8, 15, 21, 31).
Obeying these commands to be thankful helps us recognize who God is and see God’s wonderful works in our behalf.
Second, giving thanks is a choice. Luke 17 records Jesus’ encounter with the lepers. One day, Jesus passed 10 lepers who recognized Him and cried out to Him. He commanded them to go to the priest, and as they went, they were healed. When one realized his healing, he returned to Jesus to give thanks. Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?”
Certainly, the other nine were thankful for healing, but only one chose to glorify God and express gratitude (Luke 17:15, 16).
Third, giving thanks points to our Source of blessings. The one leper fell down at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Nine of these men were thrilled to receive God’s blessing, but only one gave credit to the Source of his blessing.
Someone said, “When eating fruit, remember who planted the tree!”
Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us “you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth … .”
Fourth, giving thanks is a spiritual discipline. Giving thanks is just as important to our spiritual lives as prayer, Bible study, Scripture memorization, worship, serving, giving and witnessing. Giving thanks helps us remember life is all about Him and not about us. Deliberately practicing gratitude awakens our sense of dependence on God instead of upon ourselves.
Fifth, giving thanks diminishes our tendency to grumble. Gratitude and grumbling cannot co-exist. Have you ever noticed how, for some people, the cup is half empty and for others it is half full?
A pastor told about walking down a busy city street one morning and hearing someone singing. The cheerful voice could be heard above the sounds of rushing traffic, blaring horns and other city noises. The pastor looked until he found the source, a man with no legs wheeling himself along in a wheelchair, singing about the beautiful morning.
He approached and said, “Sir, your singing is giving everyone such a lift. Coming from someone in your situation, it is such an encouragement.”
The man responded, “When I stopped looking at what I lost and began concentrating on everything I had left, I found much for which I could rejoice.”
We can either give thanks for what we have or grumble about what we don’t have. Let’s give thanks for what we have.
Sixth, giving thanks may impact our mental health. Ashley Smith, a licensed psychologist and author of “The Way I See It: A Psychologist’s Guide to a Happier Life,” writes in a blog post at adaa.org, “Gratitude can be a game changer. Gratitude can increase your happiness and well-being, life satisfaction, even overall health while decreasing the stuff we all want less of, like anxiety, depression and anger. It can be a powerful practice.”
‘The peace of God’
According to UCLA Health, taking time to be thankful may reduce depression, lessen anxiety, support heart health, relieve stress and improve sleep.
Paul was on to something when he wrote, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts … and be thankful” (Col. 3:15).
The late Billy Graham said, “A spirit of thanksgiving is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord.” Is our heart attuned to the Lord this Thanksgiving?
EDITOR’S NOTE — David L. Chancey lives in Fayetteville, Georgia, and serves as transitional pastor of Eagles Landing at Griffin, Griffin, Georgia. See his other writings at davidchancey.com.
