Paul - “We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Colossians 1:3)
November is considered to be the “gratitude month.’ Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday of the month. But it’s become a practice for many people to list people and things they are thankful for every day throughout the month of November. Being grateful shouldn’t just be a November thing. Thanksgiving should be a part of our daily lives. And the Bible tells us that we can be thankful regardless of our life circumstances.
When Paul wrote these words in Colossians 1:3, he was in prison because of his faith. Yet, even in prison, Paul lived with an attitude of gratitude. He was constantly thankful for who the Lord was to Him, what the Lord had done for him, and for the people that the Lord had placed around him in his life. He wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances . . .”
Are you a grateful and thankful person? And if you are, “Who or what are you thankful for, or should you be thankful for? We should daily remember and be thankful for who the Lord is to us and what He’s done for us. In Titus 3:3-7 Paul wrote: “Once we were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us His kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. . . . He declared us not guilty because of His great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life.”
We should also be thankful daily for the good and godly people the Lord has placed around us in our lives. And we should be thankful for the positive circumstances that we have in our lives. The truth is that we all have a lot to be thankful for. And when we are thankful, we are happier in our lives. In Colossians 3:15, Paul wrote: “Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. . . . And always be thankful.” When we are thankful, we will have God’s peace in our lives.
Prayer - Lord, help me become more aware of who and what I need to be thankful for. And help me to live a thankful life rather than a complaining, critical life.
Reflection - Who or what should I be thankful for? And what steps can I take to be more thankful and grateful daily?
