The Art of True Thankfulness

I know almost everyone blogs about being thankful in November. I am not here to say it’s a bad idea, nor would I ever fault someone for it. In fact, I try to practice gratitude on a daily basis. But to blog about it in November just wasn’t my cup of tea. That is, until something changed recently.

I have been in a season of more questions than answers, and I have come to the conclusion that there is a deeper art to thankfulness. An art we only seem to practice once a year.

I would never consider myself to be an expert at anything, except perhaps how to juggle a million things in my life without dropping them. I’m certainly not an expert at practicing gratitude. What I would like us to consider, however, is this:  What if we implemented the intentional practice of being thankful not just during the month of November, but rather trained our minds to remain in a grateful state all year long? Supposedly it takes twenty-one days to create a habit. So if we are truly being thankful for an entire month, then why do we so easily fade back into our old habits as soon as the month changes to December?

I would venture to guess it has something to do with the holiday we come to next: Christmas. Although it ought to be one of the slowest, sweetest times of the year, Christmas seems to have the ability to disturb our inner peace and yank the spirit of gratitude right out of us. There’s too much busyness. Too many stressors.

[Tweet “Much like joy, gratitude is something we have to continually pursue.”] The art of being thankful should start inside our souls. Otherwise we are simply saying thank you instead of being thankful. And there is a difference. I say thank you to the barista who makes my coffee, to the letter carrier who delivers my mail, to waiters, flight attendants, and my team at work. “Thank you” is a phrase I speak, sometimes automatically. I mean the words on some level, but they flow from my lips quickly and often without much thought. To truly practice gratitude, however, is something altogether deeper.

True gratitude or thankfulness resides in our hearts and souls. It changes how we interact with people. It shapes our intentions, drives our actions, and affects our reactions. When we practice true thankfulness, eventually it helps us see that things aren’t nearly as bad as we think. It propels us to a place where everything seems a little brighter.

The art of being thankful doesn’t require a degree or an in-depth study. It just requires hope and the willingness to step out in faith, trusting that God uses all things for our good (Romans 8:28), and resting in that trust, allowing it to shape us into a posture of gratitude.

Allow the good in your life—even the good that doesn’t look so good—to penetrate your soul, and project it to the world. If we all joined in on the art of being truly thankful, our thank yous might be a little more authentic, and our days might be a little more bright.

While being constantly amazed by the grace and love poured out by God, Amanda Landes enjoys the great outdoors, coffee and trying to decipher which is more beneficial, Double Stuff Oreos or triathlon training. The life adventures that have come her way provide an opportunity to share that, no matter the trials or turns in the road before us, there is a solid hope and foundation that is found in Christ. Amanda blogs at abidingtrust.com.

Photograph by unsplash.