Thanksgiving or Thanksliving?
Linda and I are excited about Thanksgiving Day 2024. We will spend the day with Linda’s brother’s family and our 2 daughters and their families. I love the holidays from Thanksgiving Day to New Years Day.
But while Thanksgiving Day is special, it’s only a starting point. Thanksliving is much grander. As Bible Teacher Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth wrote, “Thanksgiving really should be thanksliving—a way of life—morning, noon and night—continually, forever giving thanks to the Lord.” We don’t need a special holiday to appreciate all our blessings; thus, the move from thanksgiving to thanksliving. What will this shift do for us?
First, thanksliving gives us an appropriate attitude check. I don’t know about you, but to me, there seems to be a whole lot more whining and grumbling these days than gratitude. Instead of being happy and satisfied with our many blessings, we focus instead on what is difficult or inconvenient, and we take what we have for granted.
Second, thanksliving can be contagious. Just as grumbling is contagious, so is gratitude. Thanksliving flows out of us to touch others. Here’s a thought. Encourage your spouse, children, neighbors, church family, and others by acknowledging them, admiring them, and treasuring them. Pray and thank God for them in their presence. Tell them what they mean to you. How about that for contagious gratitude?
Third, thanksliving will make you a happier person. Gratitude isn’t just some catchy buzzword. When we develop the habit of practicing daily thanks throughout the year, it can actually make us happier. In fact, a Harvard Health study discovered that gratitude is associated with feelings of positive emotions, higher self-esteem, increased mental strength, and stronger relationships.
Fourth, thanksliving can make us more resilient. We really do find power and strength in mindful and intentional thankfulness. Adaptable and resilient individuals know the value of what they already have. More importantly, they don’t take blessings for granted.
Fifth, thanksliving leads to a healthier lifestyle. Research by the University of California Davis reports gratitude is associated with a better immune system, higher levels of good cholesterol, lower diastolic blood pressure, and less inflammation in the heart. Even more striking, gratitude is related to 23% lower levels of stress.
Sixth, thanksliving requires that we be intentional. We have the option of taking each day as whatever comes up or deciding to be grateful throughout the day. The difference is that we are being intentional about our thankfulness. This step puts our gratitude into action.
Gratitude isn’t just a way of thinking. It’s a way of living. Thanksliving gives us the permission and stamina to conquer change, challenges, and the ups and downs of life with compassion, but, most of all, thanks. Life doesn’t have to be a spiral of overwhelm and stress. Thanksliving will equip you to find the good always.
So, how can you start a lifestyle of thanksliving? First, I recommend a smartphone app, the Three Good Things app. Described as a happiness journal, this digital app prompts you to share three good things that happened each day.
Second, I recommend that you read Psalm 100 often. Psalm 100 really is the psalm of thanksliving. Pastor George Bannister said, “An attitude of thanksgiving bears positive, transformational fruit in the believer’s life.” We see this fruit in Psalm 100, a go-to psalm for thanksliving.
Third, don’t overlook that living with gratitude is a command of God. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Happy Thanksliving!
