Before Thanksgiving, we focus on cooking, cleaning our homes, and making our guests feel welcome. Now that the leftovers are gone, the company has left, and the dishes have been washed, it may not be easy to stay grateful after the Thanksgiving holiday. It can also be challenging to see the blessing in a world transfixed on consumerism rather than enjoying the holiday season. But Jesus embodied gratitude not just on one day, but throughout the year.
Gratitude is an attitude, not an action. When our attitudes reflect Christ, and we focus on the joy and contentment of everything around us, we can truly embody gratitude and remain grateful after the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are five ways to stay thankful after Thanksgiving:
Keep a Journal
Although gratitude journals are becoming increasingly popular, their purpose is to keep our attitudes focused on Christ rather than on the consumerism of the season. While it's nearly impossible not to participate in buying gifts, decorating our homes, or attending a Christmas pageant at our church, we can keep our eyes focused on Christ at the beginning and end of our days.
During your quiet time in the morning, take a moment to count your blessings. Set a timer and try to write down 50 things you're grateful for. If 50 is too much for you during that time, set a smaller goal, such as 20 or 30. You do not have to write complete sentences to keep this gratitude journal. Instead, use bullet points and use one line each to write down your blessings.
At the end of the day, reflect on what you wrote. Were there other things you could add that God blessed you with throughout the day? Feel free to add those to your list. Start the list again the following morning. Research indicates that focusing on gratitude at the start of your day can help establish a more positive outlook. The enemy wants us to focus on the negative. By focusing on the positive, we can keep our eyes transfixed on Christ and the blessings that He brings.
Commit Random Acts of Kindness
When you focus on yourself rather than others, you make life about you. This means you become self-absorbed and only focus on your challenging circumstances. Soon, you may find you do everything with your own personal motivation at stake. When you commit random acts of kindness, however, it shifts the focus from yourself to others. Vow to commit one act of kindness a day.
It could be as simple as writing a note blessing someone for their impact on your life. You can volunteer at a food pantry or pay off someone's bill at the store. If you have difficulty discovering ways to bless others, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you throughout the day. Ask Him if there's anyone specific that He wants you to bless. Regardless of what you feel you hear from the Spirit, be careful to obey it. The more you commit to obeying the acts of the Spirit, the more you will be in tune with Him and the more you will act within His will.
Start by recalling the acts of kindness that have been done for you over this past year or in years past. How did it make you feel that someone cared enough to do an act of service for you? Consider that feeling as you brainstorm ways to bless others. Make others feel the way you felt when someone cared enough to do something nice for you.
If you need help, take some time to brainstorm ideas in your journal. Take that journal with you and remind yourself of the acts you committed to doing throughout the day or the week. Even if you didn't start on December 1st, start on your current day and proceed from there. Even a few acts of kindness are better than none. You will also find that your attitude has improved significantly since you committed to this idea.
At the end of the month, reflect on how you felt during those acts of kindness. Did you get credit for those acts of kindness? How did that make you feel? Did it make you feel better when you committed the act behind the scenes? Analyze your thoughts and heart. If you wish you’d gotten credit for your actions, you might be dealing with more selfishness than you realize.
Evangelize to the Lost
Nothing beats leading someone to Christ. When someone who recognizes and admits they need a Savior surrenders their life to Christ, there is no better feeling. A person who receives salvation will remind you of the real reason for your gratitude. We love because He first loved us. We are called to go out into the Word, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Start a journal and pray for those who don’t know Christ. Being reminded regularly of the privilege of knowing God will keep you eternally grateful. When God answers your prayer—and He will—you will have no problem keeping an attitude of gratitude.
Be an Example
Jesus never walked around declaring His gratitude. Instead, He was the example. He prayed to His father and made it a priority. He made his ministry about others, rather than Himself. He embodied the fruit of the Spirit because He walked in step with the Spirit. He didn’t have to tell others about Him—He let his ministry do it for Him.
If we are who we say we are, we will naturally be the light of Christ. We need to be the people who embody the Holy Spirit, not a false spirit of cynicism or criticalness. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life that don’t align with the Spirit. You may be surprised as to what He has to say. Listen and repent. Repentance is the key to living a life worthy of Christ. Let’s be the people who naturally embody Christ.
Have a Mission Mindset
Jesus didn't have to be told to be missional; it was part of His mindset. His ministry was outward-focused. He arranged His entire ministry around reaching the lost, preaching, delivering people from demons, and healing the sick. He knew what His ministry was, and He wasn't afraid to do it. Above all, his life was selfless, rather than selfish.
In the same way, we need to gear our lives around the work of the Spirit. If we spend most of our time thinking of others rather than ourselves, we will be much better off. But this takes time, of course. Every commercial on television teaches us to practice self-care, and every book tells us how to set healthy boundaries with others.
But this is not what Jesus taught. He taught us to be reconciled to each other. Paul taught us in Romans to live at peace with everyone. Jesus understood the mission of God, and He built His entire ministry around it. However, most churches have ministries that are self-focused rather than outward-focused.
Think of ways that you can build a ministry to help others, either in your community or around the world. What would you love to see, and how can you provide tangible help to make a difference in the world? Partner with organizations and do what you can. The more outward-focused you are, the less inward-focused you'll be.
It is easy to be grateful on Thanksgiving, but it is harder to stay thankful throughout the year. Try these suggestions above or create your own to become the grateful person God wants you to be.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/PeopleImages
