Thanksgiving: Purpose

Colossians 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Being thankful is a command in the Bible so over the next few days leading up to Thursday I want to reflect on a few things about thanksgiving and the spirit of being thankful. Tonight I want to focus on the purpose of thanksgiving and why the reason behind it is so important.

There are many reasons behind the idea of thanksgiving. There are many factors that can contribute to it and quiet a few purposes to the reasons we are commanded to be thankful. Being thankful will create a joyful people, it will stir in our hearts a love for God and others around us. But one of the biggest reasons for the command to be thankful is the perspective it brings.

When we are thankful for life, others, blessings, and the many great things we have, it will keep us in the right perspective. When I am thankful for the blessings from God it keeps me humble to realize what He does for me and what I could never do for myself. When I am thankful for friends and the joy I find in them, it keeps me in the right frame of mind where I cherish them and do not feel arrogant towards them. When I am thankful for family (especially my beautiful better half) it keeps my mind focused on their needs and my perspective is set on them and not on my own life. When I am thankful for my health and the amazing life I have in this country, it keeps me in awe of the greatness of others in medicine or those who gave me my freedom.

What I believe is the correct perspective for thanksgiving is humility. To truly be thankful first we must be humble, it is a prerequisite. I find this to be true in my life. When I am arrogant, prideful, and focused on my own stuff, I am never thankful. But when I am stripped down and humbled, then and only then am I truly thankful for everything. When I am humbled to the point where I ask, "Why not me" then I find I can be truly thankful for the blessings that I do have. The less I have the more I seem thankful for what I do have. I have truly discovered that humility leads to truly being thankful.

So the purpose and command for being thankful is to drive us to our knees and be humble. Next time we find it hard to be thankful, first check the level of humility in our lives.