News programs often fill their segments with stories of people who are unthankful, and these can vary in scope. Some make demands for what they feel they deserve, and other times it can be stories of the robbing of another’s possessions. The common factor in such stories, is a person who has no peace and thankfulness for what they have. As we hear about these situations, it is very easy to identify the deficiencies in others, but know that being unthankful can be hard to detect in our own lives. The notion of thankfulness has a dramatic impact upon our daily interactions, and view of life.
Being thankful is a state of being, and is realizing an appreciation for what can be considered the small aspects of life. Many of us in the western world have grown up in luxury when compared to much of the world. We have been especially blessed in America. Think about it for a minute, we have food almost on demand with grocery stores, and restaurants. We have running water and active electricity. We live in the richest nation in the world, that even our “poor,” are considered among some of the richest in the world. Being thankful is looking to what you already have and knowing everything is alright.
The Bible makes a very powerful statement with the Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:15, about having peace and thankfulness. He states that having the peace of God in your life, will cause you to be thankful. Thankful people will not be easily provoked. Thankful people are not bitter towards others. Thankful people are not depressed or discouraged. This is not to say that there are situations that are not always the best in your life. It is a matter of perspective, and this perspective will guide your emotions and attitude in life.
Peace and thankfulness to God walk hand in hand, and you cannot have one without the other. Being thankful to God can change the way you handle stressors in the workplace. If something is not going the best during the day, looking back to what God has already blessed you with can make the difference in your mental well-being. Being thankful to God, can change the outcome of relationship issues as well. People will not always agree, but peaceful, and thankful people will get along. Even with how negative situations are handled, they will be dramatically different with this kind of attitude.
When a situation arises, keep this question in mind; is it really that big of a deal in your long-term mental health? You should also ask how God would want you to handle any problem that may arise? Approaching a problem with a peaceful and thankful heart will help you make the right kinds of decisions in life. Wouldn’t our world look so much different if people applied these values to their life? More importantly, wouldn’t all of our lives be that much different if we maintained the peace and thankfulness to God?
