Thankful Thoughts

In the book Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home, author Traci Smith suggests a fun and helpful family practice called a Gratitude Cafe. During the pandemic in 2020 this became an intentional way that our family of four would circle up mid-morning to remind ourselves of all the ways we can be thankful in the midst of difficult circumstances. We would go around the table three times, each offering something we were thankful to God for. Sometimes we would repeat what someone else said, or feel some big feelings about what we had lost in that season, but often we had a hard time stopping after three rounds. 

Recently, I’ve been reading the book of Colossians and two verses stood out to me as I was reflecting on thankfulness. In Colossians 2:6–7 Paul encourages the church to,

Continue to live your lives in him [Jesus], rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Thankfulness is not always our go-to reaction. It doesn’t happen automatically. Instead, as we live our lives intentionally in Christ, rooted in him, being built up in him, strengthened by him, then thankfulness will flow out of our intentional living. How does Paul suggest we live with intention? By “set[ting] your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:1–2). Thankfulness is much easier when we see our life through a heavenly perspective. It shifts our thinking onto Christ so that we can be thankful in all circumstances, not just when things are good or easy (1 Thess 5:18). 

What circumstances in your life feel difficult to be overflowing with thankfulness?
In what ways is Jesus inviting you to intentionally set your eyes and thoughts on him so that you are living with a heavenly perspective?