Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks Always
It is easy to fall into negative attitudes when we are tired, disappointed, or discouraged. Though Thanksgiving Day 2025 is behind us, I pray that we will carry with us an attitude of thanksgiving far beyond that special day. An attitude of thanksgiving is a life lesson that our children need us to teach them.
The way we live each moment trains children to have hearts of gratitude or ingratitude because our every word and action reflects our own gratitude or lack of gratitude.
A reason for gratitude exists in every circumstance despite our often being blind to what we could and should appreciate. When we stop and look closely, we can always find some reason to thank God, even if it is simply, “Thank You for giving me life at this moment or thank You for helping me see my guilt or thank You for giving me the opportunity to help someone on this awful day.”
I cannot think of anything as terrible as the one and only Son of God dying innocently at the hands of His enemies. As awful as that was though, that unfathomably horrible event is the one for which we can be more grateful than any other event in the history of the world.
2 Thessalonians 5 lists three ways that we can obey God’s will. Each of these reflect grateful responses to God’s blessings, and doing each of these blesses us, too.
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18