Happy Thanksgiving! This will be short and sweet as there is much to do in celebrating your thankfulness. Spending time with family and friends. It’s a chance to open up the heavens!
An attitude of thankfulness isn’t a magical formula for helping yourself to a better life.
“If I just start my day out being thankful for three things or spending two minutes thinking of things I’m thankful for like the internet says, then my life will get better.”
It Is A Love Language
A love language? Yes. Try this. Go to the person you are closest to in proximity right now. Let me clarify. Someone you know… in a family gathering. Go to them and say any one of the following:
- I am so thankful for you.
- I thank God for you.
- I am thankful that you are a part of my life.
- I cannot thank you enough for what you mean to me.
Well, you get the idea. Put it into your own words.
Do this and watch what happens!
Not just with the other person, but for you, with you, inside of you.
Most Will Not Do This – Will You?
It’s funny how such a simple thing, such simple words short and to the point, can be so hard to say. Matter of fact, most will not do this simple thing. There is a list of reasons, or better yet, excuses as to why most won’t. I get it. It is hard. After all, who wants to be vulnerable? Who wants to be the one to open up the door with such words?
Whether it is a hardened heart, a broken heart, someone who is soft-hearted, or that cold-hearted person, these words open up the heavens.
The Door
The door is the door to someone’s heart. It Is A Love Language. Again, saying any of the words of thankfulness from above with sincerity will open up hearts. It won’t matter the shape or size of the heart. It won’t even matter the hardness level of the heart.
Warning
When you do this, it opens up the heart. It may or may not be what you expect. People’s reactions are somewhat unpredictable. Especially if you are opening the door to their heart. But know this, even if you don’t see the door crack or open a bit outwardly, it is having an effect.
Thankfulness is Powerful
Don’t underestimate Thankfulness. It’s not just a nicety. Imagine the impact of thankfulness on one another. It is an amazing gift. Now apply this to our heavenly Father. Apply that to our relationship with Him in our everyday life. In expressing a thankful heart to God we are intimately expressing our love to Him.
Love is powerful. Thankfulness is an intimate expression of that. So be careful in being thankful to those around you. Be careful using this with God. It might open doors of communication, love, healing, chain-breaking, forgiveness, and bonding you might not be ready for or expecting.
Psalm 118:1 NIV
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Colosians 3:17 NIV
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 1:2 NIV
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
Challenge of the Thanksgiving Season
Count ’em (a little Brandon Lake pun there). Count up to 10 people you actually approach and say to them in your own words how thankful you are for them. Okay, either 10 in general or one key person that needs to hear this from you. And before you do that, tell Jesus how thankful you are for them before you do. So open up the heavens and see what happens. So be it!
Check out last year’s Thanksgiving post on another angle and a bit of history on Thanksgiving.
