Thoughts of Thanksgiving: A Five-Day Devotional by Skip HeitzigSample

An Attitude of Gratitude

An attitude of gratitude sets the altitude for the Christian life. When we respond to God's blessings with thoughts of thankfulness, it shows that we are dependent on God for everything, and it helps us live a balanced life. We often come before the Lord focused only on our list of needs and wants. But "[entering] into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4) keeps us from falling into the pit of self-pity and balances our prayers, which brings balance to our lives.

Thanksgiving is an indication of the heart's condition, as is ungratefulness and complaining. When you complain, you are indicating that you don't believe God is good. But when you thank God no matter your situation, it reveals that you believe in your heart that God is good and that the will of your heavenly Father is perfect.

As David said, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Psalm 118:1). Bad things may happen to you, but that doesn't mean God isn't good anymore, even though you may feel that way. Scripture says that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

True thanksgiving is based on having faith that God is painting a picture of our lives and everything is going to turn out okay. Right now, the picture may look a little fuzzy. There's a blob of green here and a splat of orange there and the outlines of things aren't too clear. We may look at our lives and think, What a mess. But the Artist knows the finished product. He knows the end from the beginning. And when we thank Him in the messy midst of it all, that indicates we believe the Artist is good and He's going to work things out for our good and His glory.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2). You won't be able to bring to mind all of His benefits, but you can thank Him for the ones you do remember. Reviewing God's track record and thanking Him for the things He has done in your life will remind you of His faithfulness and His promise to provide for all your needs.

So start your day with a simple prayer of thanks, and end it by looking back on what you have to be thankful for. Do this consistently, and you'll gain an attitude of gratitude before you know it.