BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” - Colossians 3:15
3 Ways to Be Thankful Through the Holidays
By Lynette Kittle
Especially during the holidays, it’s easy for a heart of thankfulness to fade. And as with most things in life, it’s easier said than done. So how do I go through the holiday season with a thankful heart?
Scripture offers three directives in how to prepare my heart towards an attitude of gratefulness.
1. Be Thankful in Actions. Colossians 3:17 gives me clear direction stating “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thank to God the Father through Him,” encouraging me to live out my faith through my actions and reactions.
This can be anything and everything I do from waking up in the morning and deciding to thank God for the day, to being a courteous and safe driver on the roadways. With each action and reaction, I can determine beforehand to have an attitude of gratitude towards God.
2. Be Thankful By Remembering. Psalm 77:11 encourages me to remember the deeds of the Lord, which can be as simple as thanking God for His comfort, presence, and peace in daily challenges, remembering that He never leaves me or forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5). Of thinking how I can cast all my anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7).
It can be as easy as picking up my Bible and reminiscing through the underlined and highlighted verses and passages, remembering God’s goodness, mercy, and love.
Likewise, as Psalm 105:5 urges me to remember the wonders God has done, it’s good to talk with family members and friends of the ways God has answered prayers and met needs.
Reminding myself of His faithfulness stirs my heart towards thankfulness.
3. Be Thankful in Everything. Giving thanks in everything can seem like a hard task to accomplish at times, especially in difficult circumstances. Even so, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 directs me to make this choice stating, “give thanks in all circumstance; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
One way our family lived this out was when my husband’s job at a church ended rather abruptly. Being the only breadwinner at the time, along with hitting us unexpectedly, we felt tremendous disappointment with what had happened in the situation, as well as combating the uncertainty associated with the loss of income.
Wanting to respond in a way that pleased God and set a godly example for our four young daughters, we looked to express it in a way they would understand and could also be involved in, which resulted in baking a “Thankfulness” cake.
Even though at the time being thankful felt like an opposite kind of reaction to have in such a serious circumstance, doing so made a life-long impression on all of us and surprisingly not only comforted us but also cheered our hearts concerning God’s plans for our future.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, and more. She has an M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as an associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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