Sunday, November 16, 2014

Take a few moments each day to have a thank-full heart

(Originally published in the Daily Press Religion Section, 11-15-14)

Keeping with the spirit of Thanksgiving, have you given thought for what you are most thankful? Maintaining an attitude of gratitude does not come naturally for most and usually requires purposeful attention.

Consider the Israelites: Not long after Moses led them out of Egypt they were begging to go back complaining they liked the food better.  At first they were grateful to be freed from the whip and oppression of Pharaoh, but it didn’t take long before they forgot that brutality of slavery was the cost of their meat, leeks and cucumbers.

The Israelites were so focused on what they didn’t have, they forgot God was setting them free, giving them a new land, and making them a nation. Ultimately, the condition of their hearts prevented them from entering the Promised Land.

It’s easy to judge the Israelites from this side of the exodus but let’s consider our own circumstances.  What is the condition of your heart? Do you complain about your job when once you complained because you didn’t have one? Do you complain in your boredom of retirement when once all you wanted to do was retire? Do you complain about your spouse when once you longed for one? It’s all about our perspective.

One of the reasons complaining is so harmful is because we cannot complain and give thanks to God at the same time. And thankfulness draws us deeper into the heart of God.

The first winter at Plymouth Rock was harsh. The Pilgrims stayed on the Mayflower until shelters could be built but half did not survive the squalid living conditions. The survivors would have been in a grieving process for their loved ones; yet they recognized their need to give thanks to God in that first harvest and celebrate all He had done.

The Apostle Paul writes “give thanks in all circumstances”  (1 Thess. 5:18) but notice this does not mean we are to give thanks “for” everything that happens, but rather “in” everything. Evil is present in this fallen world and we should not give thanks for evil things when they happen. 

The Pilgrims demonstrated giving thanks “in” their situation; they were not only listeners of the Word but also doers of the Word.

Spiritual benefits aside, psychological studies show that those that practice a regular heart of gratefulness experience superior mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.


Take a few moments each day, now through Thanksgiving, to journal what you are most thankful for and then meditate on those things. Conclude by giving God thanks.  The result will be a fresh perspective, a renewed attitude, and a truly thank-full heart.

The Rev. Heidi Summers is affiliated with Freedom in Christ Ministries, is a board certified pastoral counselor, board certified life coach and is currently completing her doctorate at Fuller Theological Seminary.

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