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During our years of homeschooling, November was always the month we focused on cultivating a thankful heart, and rightly so. Every November we kept a gratitude journal where we daily wrote two or three things we were thankful for. I can’t recall many of the things I or my kids wrote in our journals, but I do remember the positive effects of the habit. It set the tone for our Thanksgiving holiday at the end of the month and helped prepare our hearts for the Christmas season right around the corner.
I’ve found that it’s impossible to be thankful and have a negative attitude at the same time. When I decide to cultivate a thankful heart my attitude is always positively affected.
This attitude of gratitude acts as a shield to protect us from many of the enemy’s devices, like selfishness, jealousy, self-pity and feelings of entitlement. Being thankful helps us to be more like Paul who had learned the secret of being content, no matter the circumstance, with little or with much.
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”
– Philippians 4:12
I encourage you to take time during the upcoming holiday season to intentionally cultivate the habit of giving thanks. And if you’re a mom, bring your children on the journey too.
Here are a few ideas to help you cultivate a thankful heart.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to intentionally cultivate the habit of thanksgiving. It only takes a few minutes a day but it has lasting rewards.
Studies have shown that most people who start keeping a gratitude journal are happier after they develop the habit than before. The mental exercise of looking for things to be thankful for helps to rewire our brains to look for the positive things in our lives rather than concentrating on the negative.
Some studies even show that keeping a gratitude journal reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety and that concentrating on positive things in their lives helps build resilience when negative events occur.
Meditate on Scripture
Over and over God instructs us to be thankful. Meditating on scripture is a great way to cultivate a thankful heart.
Some of my favorite reminders in scripture include:
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” – 1 Timothy 6:6
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6
Prayer
This one may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. Prayer is a wonderful way to cultivate a thankful heart. After all, who are we giving thanks to? God is the giver of all good things. So it only makes sense to voice our appreciation for all He’s done for us.
Sometimes I’ll think of something God has done for me or my family and randomly send a shoutout prayer like “Thank you, Lord!” at that very moment. This happened to me recently at my son’s high school ring ceremony. The guy in front of me turned around to see what was going on. Yes, people probably think I’m strange, but I’m really just cultivating a thankful heart!
All three of these ideas (journaling, meditating on scripture and prayer) go hand in hand and can be done together during our quiet times with the Lord.
Write a Letter of Thanks
Taking the time to send someone a handwritten thank you note is a great way to cultivate a thankful heart. Writing a heart-felt thank you seems like a lost art in our world of email and text messages, but there’s still something special about someone taking the time to put pen to paper and expressing their gratitude in written form. It says, “You’re important to me and I appreciate you.”
Call Someone to Say Thanks
If writing a hand-written note seems a bit much, pick up the phone and call someone just to say thank you. You can say thank you for something specific or just thank them for being in your. This kind of call can completely turn around someone else’s week, and positively affect yours as well.
These are just a few things I’ve done (and still do) to cultivate a thankful heart. We live in a very ungrateful world. Let’s be of a different spirit. Let’s be thankful and teach your children to do the same. Not only does it draw people to us, but it makes us happier and a better witness of Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving!
© Audrey McCracken, 2024
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