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How to Overflow with Thankfulness

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”¹

This entire month has been focused on gratitude, and while this should be practiced every day of the year, it is something that often gets overlooked in the hustle and bustle of our day. As we saw earlier this month, gratitude is not an inborn trait that automatically flows from us, instead it is something that grows through practice. Our human flaws and limited understanding of things can many times get in the way of us developing a grateful heart. So, how then, can we become people that overflow with thankfulness in this broken world? Today’s scripture gives us the answer to this question… it all comes back to our relationship with Jesus.

When we accept Christ, the excitement of our “First Love” is evident and we can’t wait to talk about it. But as time goes on, the worries and stress of life tend to take place of that excitement, which shifts our focus off of Christ. However, if we want to be truly thankful people, we must grow our roots down deeper into Him every day through spending time in His Word and in conversation with Him. Then no matter what comes our way, we are anchored in Him, and we will not be moved. When our lives are built on the Rock as our Foundation, our faith will grow in the midst of all circumstances because we know Christ and have believed his truth. Only then can we overflow with thankfulness because we have experienced Christ in such a personal and impactful way. We come to believe that our outer circumstances do not determine or change who we are in Christ and His great love for us.

As we enter the Christmas season, let us root our hearts in Christ and live with gratitude. God has so many blessings in store for us, and thankfulness will open our hearts to accept it.

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, I know that at times I have allowed outer circumstances to take priority in my life, and this has kept me from growing deeper in You. I want to be a person who overflows with thankfulness during all seasons of my life, and I know this can only happen as I spend more time with you. Thank you for your patience and great love towards me, and also for the opportunity to start anew with you today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1. Colossians 2:6-7.