Last Spring I was given a great piece of wisdom by a respected mentor. He told me, ‘‘Jason, my advice to you is to let thankfulness permeate every aspect of your life. From your first thought in the morning to your last prayer at night, seek to live with an attitude of thanks and gratitude.” Later that week I found this truth brought out in the Bible. Philippians 4:4-7 says, ‘‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This type of living sounded great, but was this advice realistic? I found myself asking, is it really possible to be thankful at all times? After all, what happens when you receive a $100 parking ticket for staying in a space a few minutes too long? Yes, if you were wondering, this happened to me. Or what about when you get cut off in traffic, your child’s diaper explodes, and you don’t do so well on a test? Each of us has experienced similar disappointments, disasters and difficulties, so when we reflect on these events is it possible to respond with thanksgiving?
In my journey to answer these questions, I found that thankfulness comes in my life, when I take the focus off the little pink ticket under my windshield wiper and instead place my focus on God’s larger plan for my life. Recalling scripture like Jeremiah 29:11 is helpful in this process, ‘‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, ‘‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
As my focus slowly begins to shift the pain of the ticket begins to fade as I start to see how big my God is and how small that ticket is in comparison.
As Thanksgiving Day fast approaches, let each of us pause to reflect on all of the blessings in our own lives. But don’t let this thinking stop when we lay down for our post-turkey nap. Let me encourage you to make every day a day for giving thanks. This simple piece of advice has had a huge impact on my life and I pray that it will in yours as well.
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