At the Center of Thankfulness

Bryan* & Molly Long

In the New Testament, the various forms of “thankful” or “grateful” come from the word eucharisteo. Right in the middle is charis, where we get the word grace. Literally, grace is found at the center of thankfulness. It is why when you thank God before a meal, you “say grace.” You’re not grateful for what you’ve earned, you’re grateful for what you’ve been given. Thankfulness is a gospel recognition that we do not deserve any of the good gifts God provides.

However, sin won’t allow us to do this naturally. At our core we are bent on being god—believing that the creation of our hands entitles us to the blessings of our lives. Thankfulness itself is not part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is not a spiritual fruit; it’s a spiritual discipline. It doesn’t just show up in the life of a believer the way other Holy Spirit attributes do. It’s an outlet we must cultivate.

This was a seemingly minor discovery in our family until we began to practice it. We’re learning that it requires us to slow down. One definition of gratefulness is the right “response to one’s environment.” Slowing down allows us to actually see all the grace around us. Last week, we slowed down enough to really observed our two older children practicing their school instruments, while our youngest daughter danced around the kitchen table. Amid a shaky rendition of “hot cross buns” and dodging pirouettes, we were able to recognize that we were sitting in a warm house, having finished a good meal, with three healthy kids – none of it we earned and deserved. Now that’s grace…

If it has been difficult to see the good gifts in your life this year, remember that the greatest grace is that God is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made (Ps 145:13), and though we will have trouble, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). Let this Thanksgiving be an invitation to slow down, practice the discipline of gratefulness, and have grace at the center.
*Bryan is the Director of Church Multiplication for CCCC