Don't wait to be in the perfect mood to be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. Let’s be honest, waiting until we feel thankful is like waiting for northern Wisconsin weather to behave. Hahahaha! Seriously, though, if gratitude depended on perfect conditions, we’d never give thanks for anything but June and July.

But the Bible never treats thankfulness as a mood; it treats it as obedience, perspective, and trust.

Thankfulness is a choice, not a Mood

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul doesn’t say “give thanks when you feel inspired.” He says in everything. That means in the moments when life is warm and in the moments when it’s colder than a January morning on the lake.

Gratitude is an act of faith, choosing to acknowledge God’s goodness before your emotions line up.

Also, thankfulness reorients our soul. Choosing gratitude resets your heart’s compass. It lifts your eyes off what’s missing and onto Who is present.

Psalm 118:24 NKJV This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

“We will.” That’s a decision, not a mood swing. The psalmist looks at an ordinary or difficult day and says, “I will rejoice.”

Thankfulness is the switch that turns on spiritual clarity.

Lastly, thankfulness reminds us of God’s character.

When you give thanks before you feel thankful, you’re preaching truth to yourself:

God is good

God is faithful

God is working

God is present

Psalm 103:2 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

Thankfulness keeps your soul from spiritual amnesia.

A heartfelt challenge this Thanksgiving Day

Don’t wait for the perfect mood. Choose gratitude where you stand. Thank God for what He has done. Thank Him for what He is doing. Thank Him for what He will do.

Your feelings may trail behind at first, but they’ll catch up. They always do.

Happy Thanksgiving

Lars