ThanksLiving: A Thanksgiving Reading PlanSample

Yesterday we examined the ideas of thanksfeeling and thankssaying. In addition to these reactions, true gratitude also motivates actions that will in turn please the giver—thanksdoing.

In the Christian life, we are motivated by the gift of God’s grace. Paul charges us, on the ground of God’s incredible, unmerited and extraordinary mercies (Rom. 1-11), to offer ourselves as living sacrifices in worshipful conduct (Rom. 12:1), a grateful offering for God’s graces.

May I suggest some immediate action items for you to pursue in thanksgiving? All of this is grace-based conduct, for grace and gratitude are first cousins in Christian thanksgiving, derived from the same Greek word (charis). 

First, seek to understand Christian thanksgiving well, as an entire way of life. For a start, look up the antonyms of any term in the Detecting Unthankfulness list from the beginning of our study: 

• discontentment, dissatisfaction 
• criticism, non-cooperation 
• self-sufficiency, pride 
• rebellion 
• complaining, grumbling, murmuring 
• jealousy, envy 
• competition, conquest, territorialism 
• greed, acquisition, avarice, stinginess 
• worry, fear 
• entitlement

Consider their meanings. It’s truly a convicting exercise. Two examples: 

1. The opposite of discontentment is contentment. Contentment is a thanksfeeling.  
2. The opposite of stinginess is generosity. As my mentor Fred Smith observed, “Giving is the drain plug for greed.” Generous giving is a thanksdoing.

You can also take an inventory of your prayer list. Do your requests far outnumber your praises? Consider adequate thankssaying, and make your requests known to God with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).

Over the next couple of days, I will share additional action items to consider as you strive to develop the virtue of gratitude.