Gratitude is a Choice

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”—American Presbyterian minister Henry Van Dyke

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and after consciously practicing gratitude for years, I thought I was an old pro at it. But I hit a roadblock the week before Thanksgiving when I made a costly mistake that lightened my wallet. Considerably. After a short rant and a brief meltdown, I told a friend: “I am going to consciously choose to be thankful.” I was not thankful for the mishap or its hefty price, but I was reminded of Paul’s admonition to “give thanks in all circumstances.” He goes on to say: “for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18)

While Paul was not advising us to ignore the real difficulties of life, he was reminding us that we are to turn to God when we face problems. Or as one friend wrote to me: “a thankful person is a powerful person.” I agree. When you choose to thank God for His blessings and to seek His wisdom and counsel for solutions to your problems, you unleash His power. The same power that created the world. The same power that brought Jesus out of the grave on Easter morning. That’s some power!

God’s grace and faithfulness are unending and it is our privilege to thank Him for His provision, His presence and His protection. Psalm 100:4 tells us:  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” The next verse provides an excellent reason to do this: “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”

While it might be difficult, the next time you face adversity, remember to stop and thank God for all He has done for you and ask Him to help you with whatever challenge you face now.