Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart
The season is upon us.
The season of debating.
Do you go ahead and put up your Christmas decorations? Or do you wait until you have celebrated Thanksgiving?
Maybe you are like me, and have been playing Christmas music even before Halloween (How can we be given all this joyful music and only allowed to enjoy it one month in the year?). You may be annoyed to no end by people like me.
No matter your beliefs on when we should begin celebrating Christmas; unfortunately, Thanksgiving has become slightly overlooked and underappreciated, and while the birth of Jesus is obviously a big deal, Thanksgiving has been playing second fiddle for many years. Shouldn’t celebrating what we are thankful for have its time to shine as well?
I ask you to pause, right now, in the middle of reading this, and name three things that you want to thank God for. Maybe it is as simple as being thankful for your morning coffee so you wouldn’t be too cranky to your co-workers. Maybe it was watching the sunrise on your way to work. It can be big or small things or vaguer, but either way, I know you have at least three things you can list on command.
“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, I will glorify your name forever.”
Don’t you feel better? You should. Research actually shows consistently practicing gratitude can improve your mood, lessen depression, strengthen relationships, help you be more engaged and motivated, and improve overall mental well being. When we show gratitude (and receive it), dopamine and serotonin are released by our brains. These are the two “feel good” neurotransmitters and neurochemicals. This means, when we are thankful, we are content and happy. So as Psalm 106:1 says,
“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever.”
It is good for your soul, and your mental state as well.
Maybe you are having a tough year. You could definitely use some happiness and contentment in your life. Tell God what you are thankful for. Maybe you are depressed or have anxiety about your circumstances. Tell God what you are thankful for. Maybe you are impatient, have big hopes for your future, and wish they would come to pass now. Tell God what you are thankful for.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
This holiday season, do not let Thanksgiving pass you by without actually giving thanks to God. Things may seem dark and grim in your life, but have hope. For:
“there is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” - Proverbs 23:18
I am thankful for many big things - God’s love, peace, and faithfulness, for family, friends, health, job security - but one smaller thing I am newly grateful for is my introduction to wassail. Don’t worry, I thought it was a made-up word, too. I promise it’s not. My boyfriend made a batch of this cider drink a few days ago and it smells and tastes like Christmas in a cup. After one delicious sip of this, I instantly became grateful for wassail, and Alex for preparing it.
This Thanksgiving and Christmas season, I encourage you to make yourself a mean batch of wassail (you can find some good recipes online and read its history), take some time to relax, be present, and give thanks to God with a grateful heart for all the things he has blessed you with. Whether you only want to celebrate Christmas for one day, or all year long, this time of year always reminds us to stop and reflect. Give your worries to the Lord, and thank him for his wonderful deeds in your life. No matter what, there is always something to be thankful for.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whitney can be described by the opening lyrics of a few Tom Petty songs. She's a good girl who grew up in a small Indiana town who loves her mama, Jesus, and America too. She practices medicine as a physician assistant at an urgent care. Whitney is a music enthusiast and leads worship at her church. She has a heart for people, and wants to help young girls and women find their worth in Christ rather than what the world says of them. Whitney loves a good dad joke, the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, Southern manners, working on her fitness, attempting Pinterest crafts, and cheering on Indiana University basketball.