Happy Thanksgiving week!!!
Here at BASIC, we are so thankful for you guys. You’re all rocking it over on your campuses, studying for exams, writing papers, preparing for finals, and sharing the love of Jesus. Some other things I’m personally really thankful for are: my husband, my family and my in-laws, warm fuzzy socks because it’s officially the time of year where my feet constantly feel like icicles, and a good cup of coffee.
A few years ago, God started challenging me to start a “Thankful A Day” journal and this might sound kind of extreme, but it has truly changed my attitude toward my day-to-day life. Sometimes it’s something big, like getting offered a new job, and sometimes it’s something simple like chicken tacos (because I mean – yum). Either way, it helps me find a little bit of joy, even on the most stressful days. Gratitude causes you to appreciate where you are and acknowledge what you have instead of constantly wishing for the next best thing. It turns what you have into enough. It helps you to live with contentment in the present and to fall in love with the life you already have. When you start actively pursuing gratitude, it transforms that Negative Nancy outlook into a glass half full attitude and it is a perspective game changer.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Psalm 100:4
You don’t necessarily have to write it down in a journal or jot it down on your phone… but if you start to become intentional about finding at least one thing to be grateful for each day, I bet you’ll become a more joyful version of yourself. God calls us to be thankful, and to show gratefulness toward Him and toward others during every season of life, but I get it… Some of you are dealing with some really rough situations right now, and it might be hard to find even one thing to be thankful for, so I want to give you five examples of how to show gratitude in your regular, mundane, everyday life.
- SAY THANK YOU.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
This might sound like an obvious one, but you won’t believe how many times people forget to say thank you. You can say thank you to the Starbucks barista for making your coffee, to your professor for helping you with an assignment, or to your mom for doing your laundry while you’re home for Thanksgiving break. Beyond that, think about the people you’re thankful for in your life; whether it’s your best friend that you talk to every single day, or your BASIC advisor, or a person who impacted your life years ago, and send them a card or a text letting them know how grateful you are for them this holiday season.
2. FORGIVENESS.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
Has someone treated you poorly in the recently? Forgive them! Have you made a mistake that you’re feeling really guilty about? Forgive yourself! Forgiveness is a form of freedom and gratitude.
3. STOP COMPLAINING.
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
Complaining cultivates a bad attitude and leads to destruction. You can’t complain your way out of your current reality. Instead, pray for the people and situations you’re complaining about and transform your negative thoughts and statements into something encouraging and optimistic, and you’ll start to notice yourself and those around you become edified.
4. PAY ATTENTION.
Ask people how they’re doing and care about it. Listen intently when you’re talking to a person face to face instead of texting someone else or scrolling through Instagram on your phone.
5. IN A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, BE KIND.
“Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29
Kind words have power and will always leave people better than the way you found them.
Gratitude is a choice. Today, even amidst the chaos, I challenge you to choose to be thankful, and if for nothing else, be thankful for the love of God that fills your heart, the peace that rests within your spirit, and the voice of hope that whispers all things are possible.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at BASIC!