A ThankFULL Life

ThankFULLness.

Do you feel “full” of thanks?
Are you filled with contentment?
Does the life you live, reflect a life of thankfulness?
If you were to ask someone if they thought you were thankFULL, what would be their answer?

Or…
Are you constantly desiring more?
Do you buy to try to satisfy this inner desire to be rich?
Do you try to constantly keep up with the Joneses?
Are you even greedy at times?

Being thankful in a culture when consuming is at the forefront, is hard. It is counter-cultural in a way. It goes against the grain because it says “I am okay with what I have.” Culture says you should keep pushing yourself to the top – in whatever way possible.

What would our world look like if we were thankful?

If you have been working through the 100 Days of Less, I hope you have been able to be a little more thankful for what you have. You have probably realized how FULL your house has been and in turn, hopefully it has turned into thankFULLness.

How DO you live a thankFULL life?

• Acknowledge the little things in life. Often we spend so much time looking at the BIG things in life – big houses, fancy cars, big jobs, etc. When we spend so much time pursuing the BIG, we forget the small little things, that add up to be big things. Think about the little blessings in your life. What about the ability to talk? The ability to critically think? Ability to make your favorite meal? Looking at the stars, watching the leaves fall, watching a child first learn to walk. I could spend the rest of my life naming things we should be thankful for – take time to look at the little things in life.

 

• Take NOTHING for granted. This is along the same lines as being thankful for the little things in life, but I think this starts the moment you open your eyes in the morning. When your alarm goes off, take NOTHING for granted. The ability to see, think, hear, touch, walk, and get out of bed. Your day starts right then and there – from that moment forward, take nothing for granted!

 

• What has value in your life? Make a list. When you place value on the things in your life, you realize how much you really have. Whatever you don’t find valuable, consider donating, giving, or recycling those items. Everything you have in your home, you should find some sort of thankfulness for it. If you can’t, is it worth having?

 

• Take time each day to write down what you are thankful for. Even if you don’t write it down, take time to think about them. Maybe it is on your drive to work. Maybe it is while you are taking a shower. Maybe it is while you are talking to someone and you realize how special they are to you. Maybe it is while you are trying to fall asleep. Whatever the time may be, remember to take time to be thankful.

 

• 2 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

 

• Colossians 3:15-17 – Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

 

• The verses above, counteract what our society says – it gives glory to the Creator, instead of glory to the created. As humans, we are always wanting the glory, causing selfishness, greed, and envy. We want it ALL. What if we turned our selfish desires into thankfulness, being joyful and content with what we’ve been given, and doing all things for GOD, instead of for ourselves? WHAT IF? What would our world look like?

I personally believe, to be truly thankful, it starts with being dependent on God and not on ourselves. It begins with realizing that we would have NOTHING, without the grace of God. All we have is out of sheer grace. And really, nothing we own, is ours – we are just stewards of what He has given us.

In order to live a full life, we need to be THANKFUL. May this Thanksgiving be filled with humbleness, joy, and a thankfulness that isn’t about us.