The Power of Thank You
By Pastor Jason Hatley
This time of year families have all kinds of Thanksgiving traditions – from food to football, fishing to family, and even a little fighting for good measure. One of our family traditions (and maybe you have this one, too) is to go around the table and tell one thing that you are thankful for. It’s my favorite part of the holiday because, in taking time to say “thank you”, we’re reminded how much we have to be thankful for, and just how powerful those two words are.
But for many, Thanksgiving is the only day of the year that we pause, reflect and are truly grateful. Sure we say “thank you” sometimes – when we pray, or to a co-worker who lends a helping hand. But, if we’re honest, we’re a lot better at complaining than thanking and we’ve lost the power of thankfulness in our everyday lives. As a result, our society has become more unsatisfied, unhappy, and unfulfilled.
On this Thanksgiving holiday, however, I want you to know that God wants you to experience life at a higher level – a life of joy and contentment. And the secret is learning to be grateful. To help you get started, here are 3 things you can be thankful for every day:
The Beginning of the Day – Even if you’re not a morning person, every new day is an opportunity to be thankful. One morning around the breakfast table, I wasn’t feeling very thankful (OK – I was grumpy). So, my wife started quizzing me… Did the sun come up this morning? Are you breathing? Is there coffee in your cup? Did you have food to eat? And just like that, the direction of my day changed. That’s the power of “thank you”. No matter what happened yesterday, today is a new day!
Little Blessings – Every time something good happens, you can be thankful because every good thing in your life, no matter how big or small, is a blessing.
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our
Father…” – James 1:17
To make this very practical for you, every time you sit down to eat… every time you get paid… every time you complete a project at work… every time your children say, “I love you”… thank God for those little blessings.
God Loves You – This is such a powerful truth, especially this time of year, because we don’t always feel a lot of love. For many, Thanksgiving and Christmas are not seasons of joy, but of loneliness, regret, fighting and grudges. Some will go through their first Thanksgiving with an empty chair at the table after the loss of a loved one. Others will be alone because their family lives elsewhere. In spite of these things, this week and every week, remember and give thanks that God loves you.
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is
what we are!” – 1 John 3:1
May this Thanksgiving be more than a day of gratitude for you. May it be the start of a life of gratitude where you learn to say “thank you” every day!
Be sure to join us at The Journey Church in Boca Raton on Sunday, November 26 for the kick off of the brand-new series, Christmas Carols: Rediscovering the Meaning of the Season.
About the Author
Jason Hatley is the lead pastor of The Journey Church in Boca Raton. The Journey meets at Grandview Preparatory School (Spanish River Blvd near I-95) each Sunday at 9:30am and 11:00am, and will celebrate the Grand Opening of their brand-new building in Boca Raton in Spring 2018. For more, visit www.BocaJourney.com. Jason is the author of two books and served for ten years as a pastor in New York City before moving to South Florida. Each person who visits The Journey Church will receive a free copy of the book Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong.
