As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
The faith we have in Christ — the belief we have, coupled with our obedience to His will — this faith is to be abounding with thanksgiving. Abounding, overflowing, above and beyond. Our lives are to be filled to the brim with thanksgiving.
It seems this time of year, we’re super focused on it. We do our cute “daily thanksgivings” on Facebook. We make thankful lists and trees and chalkboards and everything else. Unfortunately, the scriptures don’t say “have an abundance of thanksgiving in November.” Instead, our entire lives are to be characterized by thankful hearts. Each and every day, we’re supposed to walk in Christ. Focused completely on Him. Setting our affections on Him. Keeping our mind aligned with His.
I think we should all, absolutely, be thankful this time of year. We should show our friends and family members how thankful we are, but it shouldn’t stop here. It should start here — on common ground with our unbelieving associates, but they should see something deeper in our thanks. They should see a deep relationship with the Giver of every good and perfect gift. They should see a heart that stays thankful all year round. A heart that isn’t different around the holidays, but is instead always benevolent, always gracious, always extending goodwill toward men.
Use this holiday season as an opportunity to reach those around you. Not with trite words and phrases, but with deep, meaningful proclamations of faith. Show those around you why you have peace all year round. Why you give thanks each day – each week – each month of the year. Why we can be thankful — because our sins have been forgiven and we are waiting on our promised life after death.
I am beyond grateful to God for His abundant blessings this and every time of the year. Through good times and bad, He is faithful. In happy times, He is my joy. In sad times, He is my comfort. In hard times, He is my strength. In triumph, He is that victory. Christ is all and in all, and thanks be to God for giving Him to us.
It is my prayer that you have a wonderful holiday season. But remember, this is just a holiday season. Thanksgiving isn’t a season at all. It is a mindset. It is a characteristic of a child of God. Let us live there, continually. Always praising our God and Father.
