How to Have a Heart Filled With Thanks
Have you ever agreed to do something only to find yourself questioning why? When I agreed to write this blog, I thought it would be easy. I mean, how hard can it be to write about a heart filled with thanks? Now, as I’m finding the time to sit down and work on this, I’m finding it not as easy as I had expected it to be.
So, I started asking myself these questions.
- What does it mean to have a heart filled with thanks?
- Is my heart filled with thanks?
- Am I truly grateful?
What does it mean to have a heart filled with thanks?
As I contemplated what it meant to have a heart filled with thanks, I turned to the Bible for help. I found multiple verses on thankfulness. Here are a couple that caught my attention.
- Psalm 9:1: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
How can we begin to fill our hearts with thanks?
Thanksgiving is around the corner, and people will be sitting around the table giving thanks for what they have: their health, their family, and their friends. However, for most people, this is typically a once-a-year event. I know this because I see it all the time. I know this because that’s what I use to do.
Although we all could use more practice in the gratitude department throughout the year, Thanksgiving is a great time to start. Here are some questions to get you started.
- Are you thankful for your friends?
- Are you thankful for your career?
- Are you thankful for your church?
- Are you thankful for your family?
Make a list of your answers to these questions and start thanking God for them every day. You will be surprised how this will transform your heart.
How can we practice being thankful throughout the year?
- Thank God always, especially during the difficult times.
- Focus on what is going right rather than on what’s going wrong. When things go wrong, take it to God and praise Him for all that He does and will do in your life.
- Stop worrying about keeping up with your neighbor. God created you as a unique being. You should not worry about being like someone else. You should focus on being whom God created you to be.
Of course, it’s not always easy to give thanks, especially when we are struggling. However, we need to have a heart filled with thanks to see God’s will accomplished in our lives. If we are to give thanks during our times of difficulty, then we are removing Satan’s foothold in our life.
“God smiles when we praise and thank Him continually. Few things feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it, too. An amazing thing happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy." - William Law
Over the years, I have learned to be thankful for what I have and whom I have in my life. I’ve learned to not worry about what others have or who they know. Is it easy? No! But most things worth doing are never easy.
It is through prayer, family, friends, and complete faith in God that we can live a life with a heart filled with thanks.