This is the time of year that we tend to think about Thankfulness. But, really, thankfulness should be part of our every day lives. Our minds are our greatest battlefield. What better way to “arm” ourselves for battle than by filling our minds with what is good, true, pure, and right?
I was listening to a podcast earlier this week, and the speaker encouraged her listeners to be thankful for what doesn’t change. Too often, we can just focus our thankfulness on circumstances. That works fine when life is going well. But what happens when we face trials? Do we just assume we 
have nothing to be thankful for? Do we endure with frowns and frustration? When we make a practice of thanking God for what doesn’t change, then circumstances don’t have as much power over us. And what doesn’t change? GOD! His love, His power, His goodness, His omniscience, His grace, His forgiveness…We should meditate on these qualities, praising and thanking God for them, thinking about what these attributes mean for others, for us, for eternity. It’s amazing, really. And so much more worthy of our thoughts than our insecurities, our bitterness, or our plans.
While that really should be the main source of our thankfulness, we should still be thankful for the good gifts God gives us. I remember several years ago when pretty much everything in my life was going really, really, well. My first book was about to be published, I loved every part of my job, I loved every part of my ministries at church, my family was doing well, I had amazing friends. Life was practically perfect. I remember thinking then that this might very well be as good as it gets, as far as circumstances went. I was tempted to have that thought bring me down – was if this was as good as it gets? And I was just in my mid-thirties? Would I look back and long for this moment the rest of my life? (I can be a “little” dramatic!). Instead, I just enjoyed the moment, thanking God for all the good gifts He was lavishing on me. Knowing that we shouldn’t miss out on the joy of this moment by worrying about what may come next.
Last year, as many of you know, was probably the worst year of my life, as far as circumstances went. And I had some months when I chose to meditate on all the awful that was happening. I was miserable then. However, when I chose to focus on the good – on the character of God that never changes, on the good gifts He gives, even in the middle of difficult times, my attitude changed. Not my circumstances. My attitude. God never promises a problem-free life. But He does give us the tools and the grace to endure whatever circumstances arise.
So as we think about Thankfulness this Thanksgiving month, let’s make having a thankful attitude a priority. Every day. Let’s not permit circumstances to dictate how we feel or how we think. God has given us all SO MUCH to be thankful for. Let’s fill our mind with that.
