Thanksgiving is one time during the year when our society focuses on thankfulness. Obviously, this should not be limited to one day a year; but the time surrounding this holiday provides all of us with a reminder of the need to be thankful.
There are many things for which we can be thankful. Over the next few weeks will will be highlighting some of them. Before we begin talking about these, we need to start by understanding what must be present in order for us to truly show thankfulness:
- A giver – God is the giver of all good things (James 1:17) and He will be the one who provides each of the things we will discuss in our series.
- A recipient – A gift given must be given to someone. We are the recipients of each of the gifts discussed in this series.
- A gift that is accepted – It is possible to reject, neglect, or discard a gift received from someone; but accepting the gift is a necessary part of displaying thankfulness.
- An appreciation of the gift – One can accept a gift but not appreciate it. Thankfulness means that the value of the gift is recognized. The greater the value that is attributed to it, the more grateful the recipient will be.
- A demonstration of gratitude – Thanks will be offered either through one’s speech or actions. This will also be done with sincerity.
These points make up the foundation for thankfulness. Over the next few weeks, as we discuss those things for which we should give thanks, we will use these points as the framework for our discussions. The following lessons will be included in the series:
- Thankful for God’s Word
- Thankful for Our Blessings
- Thankful for God’s Mercy
- Thankful for Our Hope
There are many more things for which we should be thankful, so this list is certainly not exhaustive. However, these are going to be our areas of focus in this series.
Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is easy to become distracted by the problems and challenges in our lives. We need to be reminded of the good things that God has provided so we can always be thankful to Him. I hope this series will help us in that.
