Making Thankfulness a Habit

Kemp Family 2004

When I was really little, my mom made a habit of asking me before I went to sleep, “Who loves Stacy?” and the listing would begin…”Mommy, Daddy, Jesus, Matt, Grant, Grandma, Grandpa…”.  This practice served a great purpose when I was in Jr. High.  I had a hurtful experience with some friends of mine that caused me to feel extremely lonely and feel like “nobody loves me.”   But when I felt like, “nobody loves me,” my mind wouldn’t allow me to go there because of this habit.  I would start going through the list we’d gone over so many nights, and let me tell you, when your mom is one of seven sibblings and you have 26 first cousins, it doesn’t take long to realize “nobody loves me” is far from the truth! 🙂 My attitude and state of loneliness had to change because I realized there really are lots of people who love me.  When confronted with the truth, the lie has to flee!

I’ve been readying through Colossians recently knowing I needed some heavenly perspective, but I’ve been hit with something else this time through.   The amount of times Paul talks about thankfulness in this little book has caught my attention to say the least.

*1:3 “We always thank God…”

*1:12 “and giving joyful thanks to the Father…”

*2:7 “…and overflowing with thankfulness.”

*3:15 “….And be thankful.”

*3:16 “…singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

*3:17 “….giving thanks to God the Father…”

*4:2 “…being watchful and thankful.”

(I encourage you to read through the context of these verses, because they are powerful and challenging!)

This morning in Sunday school I was working with the kids to memorize Philippians 4:6-7.  We are also studying Paul’s life when he was imprisoned and shipwrecked. Paul’s life and circumstances were very seldom easy (mostly extremely difficult!) but what does he tell us we need to do?  “Be anxious in nothing, but in everything with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

There is that word again.  Thankfulness.  This is not a new concept.  I know that I have an overwhelming amount of things I can be thankful for! But when faced with challenges (far less than imprisonment) and things I don’t like, how much am I putting thankfulness into practice?  Just as the habit that was started when I was little helped me when I needed it, so I need to get my mind in the habit with the things I am thankful for.  Then during times that I want to whine, complain, or feel sorry for myself (which happens more often than I’d like to admit), my mind won’t let me go there! Thankfulness is the key to breaking free from that dangerous and fruitless road!  And somehow I hear my words to the boys coming back at me,“no more but’s!!”.