Casandra Martin

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself. “ – Tecumseh

Learning to be people of gratitude is mostly about retraining our eyes. Thanksgiving is transformation in action. It is the process of looking into the moment and finding God’s fingerprints. Sometimes evidence of His presence is clear, distinct, and unmistakable. Other times, however, find us struggling to trace His goodness in the depth of our difficult days.

Thanksgiving isn’t about spin. It isn’t so much about having a positive, Pollyanna attitude as it is about adjusting our perspective to find the God-markers even when things are rough.

Every time that you live gratitude out loud, you declare three very important truths to the world.

1. God is in control.

2. You are not alone.

3. This isn’t the end of the story.

The practice of thanksgiving cements these three truths deep in our hearts. It allows them to fill us, shape us, move us, and change us. Expressing gratitude today will transform how we face tomorrow. The rough outline of these three truths take on dimension, depth, and deep color as we train our eyes to seek His face.

My Jesus Resolution today is to practice gratitude. Thanksgiving doesn’t come naturally. I am much more prone to whining, complaining, and criticizing than I am to being grateful. Practicing thankfulness is like coming out of a very dark room into the bright light. It takes time for my eyes to adjust, but when they do, the beauty of the world opens up before me.