Thank You

I struggle with being positive and cheerful. It's so easy to let life's anxieties get the better of me. I can feel it in the tension of my face and my shoulders. I hate it. And sometimes even reading the Psalms doesn't cut it for me. So then what?

Some years ago Oprah promoted the idea of keeping a gratitude journal, recording at least one thing for which you were thankful that day. I've done so off and on through the years, but normally I did it at the end of the day. After all the traffic jams, relationship conflicts, confrontations with students, and so on. Better to start your day with thankfulness, don't you think? And isn't that what David wrote in the psalms time and time again? He thanked God for what He had done for him.

Sometimes I just have to kick myself. You'd think I'd have this joy thing down by now. But I don't. And honestly, I think Satan has been doing his best in the past few years (and especially in the past few weeks) to keep me from the abundant life of joy that God has created for me to have. William Bennett said, "Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that thankfulness is indeed virtue." Thankfulness, like anything else, must be cultivated. It doesn't come naturally; we must deliberately choose to be thankful. And sometimes wondering how God will help us get through difficult times just keeps us focused on our pain. Gratitude shifts the focus off ourselves and our pain and onto God and His goodness.

My mother loved the story of Corrie ten Boom. As I recall, this is how one of her favorite lessons from the book goes. Corrie and her family were imprisoned during World War II. While in a concentration camp, Corrie's sister thanked God for an infestation of fleas. Corrie was horrified about this. However, they later discovered that the guards stayed away because of the fleas, which allowed the prisoners to hold worship services. I think God blesses thankfulness, don't you?

Mom loved Thanksgiving. (Who wouldn't? It's all about some of my favorite foods!) But Mom loved the idea of giving thanks. I think one year she even sent out Thanksgiving cards, rather than Christmas cards to emphasize the importance of thankfulness. One year, after I was grown and living on my own, Mom gave me a small plate that says "Give Thanks." So simple. And yet so vital to our success at living well.

So, friends, what will you thank God for today? And don't stop at today. Thank Him tomorrow morning too. I've written on both bathroom mirrors in our house "Our Father, I thank You for..." to remind me to thank Him. Among other things, I thank Him for you.

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better" (Ephesians 1:16-17).