Thankfulness
Posted By Aaron Marcelli on November 7, 2011
I grew up with parents who taught me to always say please and thank you. If someone gave me something, my parents would make sure I thanked them before allowing me to enjoy my gift. Saying “Thank you” became a habit for me.
Then I moved out and began living life as a single man. For several years as an independent single man I took care of most of my own needs and I slowly got out of the habit of saying “Thank you.” I realized this a couple years ago when a coworker brought in lunch for our entire department and as I was eating she called me out for not thanking her. I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself for having become so ungrateful.
God recently brought this to my attention again. I strive to be so self-sufficient and able that I deny my need for others and therefor don’t acknowledge what they do for me. This is not an issue of dependence though as much as it is spiritual health. Someone with a proper view of God will always be aware of all they have been given.
Thankfulness is a characteristic of a heart returning to God.
Being grateful/thankful is the first step in worship. It is our reaction to the initial realization of all our blessings.
In September I heard Steven Furtick deliver a great message (which you can watch here) on gratitude. One of the things he said was “Gratitude begins where our sense of entitlement ends.”
What we think we deserve and see as our right, we will not be thankful for. If we think because we are Americans we are entitled to a job we will never be thankful for that job. If we think we should be married because it seems like everyone else is we will not be thankful for our spouse. I could go on.
For me, these thoughts about gratitude came together to remind me how much I need to be thankful. I need to acknowledge and recognize what God and other people have done for or given to me.
Are there blessings in your life you think you’re entitled to and that attitude is keeping you from being thankful?
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