Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks - A Deeper Dive
scripture: Luke 17:11-19
message recap
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. It is a time to enjoy family, food, and football. For many, gathering around the Thanksgiving table means participating in the time-honored ritual of sharing what we’re thankful for. What a great exercise this is. But isn’t it sad that we only share our gratitude out loud and with one another during a special occasion? We would all benefit by making this a regular part of our daily lives. We will talk more about the habit of sharing our gratitude as we take a closer look at giving thanks.
“Count Your Blessings” is an old hymn that used to be in the United Methodist Hymnal. We’re not sure why it was removed. It includes a line that is repeated throughout that says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” What a beautiful idea. When we’re discouraged or weighed down by the burdens of life, isn’t it helpful to think about our blessings? And when we name them out loud, there’s no denying they exist.
Not only does living a life of gratitude improve our spiritual lives but there is scientific proof that gratitude has incredible benefits to our minds and bodies. Gratitude has been shown to have lasting positive effects on the brain. It boosts the immune system while reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Gratitude promotes optimism and positivity, each of which has its own benefits. It reduces chronic pain, improves overall sleep, and promotes healthy habits. With all of these potential benefits - and this isn’t an exhaustive list - why wouldn’t we live a life of gratitude? Why do we only think of sharing our blessings out loud one day each year?
Even with so many benefits, a life focused on gratitude isn’t easy to maintain. It takes focus, intention, practice, and care. And it doesn’t help that the world is working against us. Nonetheless, throughout the Bible, we are told that God wants us to have a thankful heart and to give him thanks and praise continually.
In today’s scripture reading, we have a story about ten lepers who were all given the same gift of healing. They were each touched by the grace of Jesus. Yet, only one of them, a Samaritan, returned to express his gratitude. He alone recognized the grace he had received and responded with a heart filled with thanksgiving. It’s important to note there is a difference between being thankful and expressing gratitude. The other nine healed lepers were more than likely thankful, but only the Samaritan showed his gratitude. That’s the difference - gratitude includes action.
We are all recipients of God's grace. We are blessed daily with life, breath, opportunities, and relationships. These are all gifts from God. They are manifestations of his grace. But how often do we take the time to acknowledge these gifts? How often are we thankful for these gifts? How often do we give thanks to God for these gifts?
The Samaritan leper shows us the importance of recognizing God's grace and responding with gratitude. His actions remind us that gratitude is not just about saying "thank you." It's about acknowledging the source of our blessings. It's about recognizing that every good thing in our life is a gift from God.
We’ve already touched on the many health benefits of living a life of gratitude. The Samaritan leper's story teaches us about gratitude's impact on our relationship with God. This man's gratitude brought him into a closer relationship with Jesus. His gratitude was not just a response to a gift. It was a response to the giver of the gift.
The story of the ten lepers also reminds us about faith. Hebrews 11:1 says,
“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Jesus tells the lepers to present themselves to the priests. He issued this command without first touching them or praying over them. There was no visible sign that they had been healed. Yet, the men obeyed and went to see the priests. They knew that only the priests could declare them as clean, and they went without any evidence that Jesus had done anything. They acted on faith. Their healing was the result of their faith and obedience.
All ten lepers had faith. All ten were healed. All ten were likely thankful for having been made clean. Yet only one returned to give thanks. Only one demonstrated gratitude by stopping what he was doing and intentionally returning to give Jesus thanks for the blessing received. The man delayed going to the priests who would proclaim that he was clean. He delayed returning to his family and friends to praise Jesus. It’s not always convenient to stop what we’re doing to show gratitude. But, like so many other things in life, what’s best for us, what’s healthiest and right for us, isn’t always easy. But when we can prioritize it and make time for it, we realize how powerful the practice of gratitude can be.
The story concludes with Jesus first lamenting that only one of the men returned, but then he offers the man a final spiritual blessing. The last verse says,
“19 Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’”
All ten lepers received the physical blessing of being healed. But only the one, a Samaritan, received the spiritual blessing for his demonstration of gratitude. The King James version uses “whole” instead of “well.” Spiritual blessings are the result of true thankfulness. Being thankful for God's gifts and the grace we receive each day can make us spiritually whole.
an attitude of gratitude
There is no question that living a life of gratitude provides physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. But how do we develop an attitude of gratitude? Here are a few things we can do:
Begin by asking yourself, “What can I be grateful for?”
When you wake up each day, say or write down three things you are grateful for.
Start a gratitude journal to write down what you are grateful for, proud of, and excited about.
Acknowledge other people and thank them for inspiring/helping/supporting you.
Commit to a gratitude practice and be intentional with your insights.
Gratitude is a choice. We choose to appreciate the things we have. It takes work and intentionality, but as we have repeatedly said, a life of gratitude is one of the healthiest - physically and spiritually - habits we can undertake. Give thanks every single day. Take time to stop and appreciate life and all of its beauty. Choose to spend your time and energy on what you are most thankful for.
“If you concentrate on what you have, you’ll always have more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never have enough.”