A journey to . . . thankfulness.

Thanksgiving being this week and all has put me in a “gratitude awareness” mode more than usual.   Trying to stay there has been a challenge.  Because we normally, as a society, feel so entitled, gratitude isn’t part of our (maybe I should say, “MY”) make-up.  My heart is selfish, deceitful and for the most part, ungrateful.

The first sin was ingratitude, you know.  Eve, in the Garden of Eden, was looking for more - something she didn’t already have, something forbidden.  Instead of looking at what she did have, she looked at what she didn’t have or couldn’t have.  I’m the same way. 

I hate that about myself!  What’s a girl to do???  How is one to get “grateful”?  How can I become more thankful, or maybe even thankful at all? 

My journey to thankfulness started when I realized an important, life-changing statement was true. 

The world doesn’t revolve around me.

Maybe you realized this already (about yourself, not me J) .  In all seriousness, I had no idea that was my problem.  For you see, if you think you’re humble, are you?  I mean, if you keep patting yourself on the back because of how humble you are, is that truly humility?

I’m not saying I was doing that.  I’m saying that my journey to thankfulness, the start of my attitude of gratitude began when I realized who I really was in the scheme of things - insignificant, to say the least.
 

Not insignificant to God – no, insignificant compared to everything else and everyone else.   Insignificant when you think of how many people there are in the world.  As insignificant as one star is in the sky of a multitude of stars. 

But in that insignificance, there is a Heavenly Father, who knows every hair on my head, every cell in my body and every sin I have ever done and STILL loves me.  He gave His Son up for me.  He gave His Son up for you.   He loves that much.  He actually did this for every single solitary person in the whole wide world.

When I stop and just let that settle in me, in my heart, I am overwhelmed with love, and significance.  And I am very very thankful.

My journey to being a thankful person is all about realizing who I am compared to WHO God is – and in that realization, to stop, get down on my knees and thank the Maker of the universe for His Love for me.  For every single solitary minute He is with me, for my health, my home, my spouse, my children,  . . . . . for everything.

I love these verses from Psalm 118:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
    His love endures forever.

 Let Israel say:
    “His love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say:
    “His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say:
    “His love endures forever.”

You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
    His love endures forever.