A reflection on gratitude

For any non-USA readers, if you can't tell from this week's posts, we are approaching Thanksgiving, which is on Thursday.

On the radio this morning, the question of the day was "what are you thankful for?" A fairly simple question but I immediately thought of a quote I heard from a concert I attended last Friday night (Over the Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche). Over the Rhine said "comparison is the thief of joy."

It is "easy" to be thankful when Thanksgiving is coming, following by the Christmas season. It's a time of joy, celebration, good food, new memories, seeing friends or loved ones, and reflection on God's provision both through the birth of Christ and throughout the past year. But what about the rest of the year. Should we not be thankful during January to October? And if so, then what keeps us from being thankful?

I think having a thankful heart comes from being content with what you have and with what God is doing in your life. When I choose to compare my life with where I want it to be or with the lives that others have, then suddenly I lose focus of what God is doing and only see what God hasn't done (as if we could fully see what God has or hasn't done). Needless to say, our joy is robbed during those times. It's not until we once again look to God, choosing a mind of gratitude, and trusting that His plan is good, that joy can be ours again, even if life continues to not be what we'd expect or like.

My life is so not what I would have liked or chosen it to be. However, if I had chosen my path, yes, I might be married and have some kiddos but I would have missed out on so many defining and shaping experiences that I'm glad I've had. At times it's easy for me to get stuck in an ungrateful frame of mind; seeing all the "holes" in my life. But when I look back, I see God's faithfulness and I know He hasn't changed. Okay, I'm rambling now...anyhow consider how or if "comparison is the thief of joy" in your life and then find one thing or a whole bunch of somethings that you can be grateful for.