If you only had the things today that you THANKED God for yesterday, what would be left?

This question came to life for me many years ago when my dad came to me with a proposition.

“For every item you can write down that you are genuinely thankful for, I will pay you a nickel,” he said.

I was excited to earn some extra money, so I agreed. I still remember beginning my list with the generic “family,” “food,” “my home.” But my ideas soon dwindled as the shallowness of my gratefulness became apparent.

Thankfulness doesn’t come naturally to us. In fact, many of us see it as a burden — another spiritual checklist item. What we don’t realize is that our lack of thanksgiving toward God is a big reason we often feel empty and unsatisfied.

Why should we be thankful?

1. Giving thanks keeps us humble.
2. Giving thanks makes us more aware of God’s lessons and blessings.
3. Giving thanks causes us to be more content (even when life is terrible).
4. Giving thanks helps us express appreciation to people in our lives.
5. Giving thanks is a way to walk in obedience to our Heavenly Father.

Here are practical ways to show gratefulness in this Thanksgiving season:

To God: Dedicate extra time in prayer simply to the practice of thanking God. Sing songs that emphasize gratefulness to Him for salvation and daily provision. Maybe even start your own “thankfulness list” for yourself.

To others: Think of a few people in your life you are especially thankful for and do something special to show them. Whether it is writing a note, buying a gift or making them a meal, the intentional act of “thanks” will be a blessing to both you and them.