"In times where there seems to be a constant search for supernatural signs and wonders, let us not overlook the absolutely miraculous reality of baptism; a life that was dead in sin, is now alive in Christ."
Thanksgiving IS HERE. We live in a culture that is becoming increasingly more consumeristic, always seeking something bigger and better than what we already have. In fact, I believe that within each of us, is this constant desire for more! But paradoxically, the more we get, the more we are left insatiable. Even when we get what exactly we want, we eventually realize that "it", is often only a temporary illusion of fulfilment that leaves as quickly as it comes when attached to something material.
Thanksgiving offers us a refreshing break to be intentional about fighting this need fore more. As believers in the teachings and life of Jesus, here are 4 TIPS on how to make Thanksgiving a lifestyle that we continually cultivate, and not just a single weekend a year.
1. Make much of little… learn how to celebrate the small things.
Celebrate the small things as though they were the big things. Make it a principle to recognize not just the destination of the journey you’re on, but every step that you’re taking to get there. You might not be where you hope to be one day, but you’re one step closer to getting there then you were yesterday.
Naturally, this is easier said than done. Personally, I consider myself a very driven and goal orientated person, because once I have a plan in mind, I'm restless till I see it materialize. This often leads me to having difficulty in recognizing the small steps of progress, because I’m constantly fixated on the end result. Generally, human beings like to make plans, imagining and thinking of the “bigger picture”, where they'll be and what they'll one day do… But in actuality, God is much more interested in the “steps” we take, than He is in the plans that we make. (Proverbs 16:3)
What a relational principle this is as well! If you continually set unachievable expectation on your partner because you’re expecting a Hollywood date every time you go out, you’ll never be happy! Making much of little means that even though you might not be eating at that restaurant everybody is posting about on Instagram, you’re equally happy about sharing that poutine together! Why? Because after all, it’s not what you eat, but who you’re eating with that matters most.
2. Appreciate what you already have… Don’t focus on what you don’t have.
While we’re waiting for that “one thing” that we believe that our current happiness is somehow tethered and fundamentally attached to, we subconsciously end up treating the things and people around us with contempt and dissatisfaction. Consequentially, people no longer want to be in our life anymore because our inner incapacity to appreciate what we have, is suddenly projected unto them too. Eventually, they’ll feel like you do not value them, because suddenly nothing is ever good enough, and trying to please you is a never ending battle that’s impossible to win.
But you see, appreciation does the opposite.
Appreciation galvanizes friendship. It renews, refreshes and strengthens the other person. It’s an act that recognizes the impact somebody has on you, and communicates to them that they actually matter to you. It lets them understand that the time they spend with you doesn’t get deposited in pockets with holes. Appreciation makes someone realize that what he or she did had an impact on you. When you show somebody that they matter to you, it’ll always beget further generosity.
Practice the art of appreciating people on a daily basis. Maybe it’ll come in the form of a text message, or a phone calling thanking the person that bought you lunch the other day. Always articulate what you’re thinking and feeling. Don’t live under the assumption that that the people you care about in your life are able to read your mind and know how you feel towards them. Let them know what they mean to you because if you don’t, someone else will, and you risk losing them in the long run.
3. Remember more than you forget.
Did you know that numerous scientific studies are proving that sleep depravation impairs our ability to remember? Sleep solidifies the information that we’ve learnt and experienced during the day, and transfers it to the short-term memory banks in our brain. When a lack of sleep occurs, we disrupt that cycle, and begin to forget things that are usually easy to remember.
Similarly, difficult times tend to have the same influence on our ability to remember how good and gracious God has been to us in the past. When we go through rough seasons, our vision becomes narrow and we fixate only on what is temporarily going wrong and hurting, instead of being able to remember that there is no expiration date on God’s goodness, and just as he was faithful in the past, He’ll continue being so in the present.
Remembering needs to be an intentional act that choses to “count your blessings”, even when it seems that nothing is going according to your plan. Don’t disregard all that God has done, because you’re experiencing a temporary trial.
4. know that contentment and thankfulness walk hand in hand.
Contentment is the ability to be totally and entirely satisfied with how things are without needing more. It's literally living in a state of "enoughness". Contentment is finding a sense of fulfillment and fullness that we believe only Jesus is truly able to give. It is no coincidence that the more space we allow Jesus to have in our life, the less we feel the need for anything additional, because we find all we need in Him. Your ability to be thankful is preceded by your capacity to find contentment in Jesus.
Our consumerist tendencies occurs when we allow fads and trends to take ownership of our heart's affections. The sad reality of consumerism is that it's ultimately a bottomless pit that is stopped only at the expense of self-destruction. The reason why fulfillment can't come from stuff alone is simple: Consumerism treats our exterior needs and symptoms that confuse our ability to distinguish our wants from our needs, but contentment is an inward state grounded in our identity in Christ, indifferent to exterior situations and constant in whatever the circumstance.
Ultimately, a heart that finds its satisfaction and fulfilment in Jesus, will be one that lives a lifestyle of constant thanksgiving. After all, an understanding of the God' grace, will always yield gratefulness.