It has commonly been accepted that feeling, practicing, and expressing gratitude has many physical and mental benefits. It can adjust your mood to be happier and more optimistic. It helps build connections between people. No matter how things look bleak outside, if you are determined to find people and things to be thankful for, you will always find them. Of course, giving thanks is never meant to happen during Thanksgiving only, even though the holiday does remind us of the blessings we receive that we’d better not take for granted.
May you enjoy gathering together at the table this Thanksgiving to share food and also what each person is grateful for. May you freely testify at church the goodness and blessings of the Lord in your lives. It’s surely good to mention blessings in health, wealth, safety, and prosperity that God has blessed so many of us out of His generosity and lovingkindness. Some of us walked through grave illness or serious setbacks, or deep grief this year. Yet, we as Christians can still be thankful to God for walking through the dark time with us.
Among all his goodness, the greatest is his ultimate love for us, as manifested in the sacrificial death of his son on the cross on our behalf. With his body broken for us and his blood shed for us, Christ has paved the way of reconciliation with the Father. Neither shame nor guilt can separate us from the Father’s love, not anxiety, depression, addiction, relational conflicts, or any other struggles either. On the other hand, we can be comforted that we believe and follow the living God who dwells in us through His Spirit, who constantly comforts, guides, protects, heals, and edifies.
I am thankful to the Lord. I give thanks to Him for every blessing I have received from him. Mostly I thank him for my salvation from sin and death. He has taken away my shame, and now “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself to me” (Gal. 2:20b).
