Thankfulness Is Difficult

Thankfulness doesn’t come easy, nor is it something that’s natural.

There’s an overall lack of giving thanks today, and it very well may be part of the overall downward slide of our country.

As we ready ourselves to celebrate Thanksgiving, along with a season of giving thanks, the word thanksgiving may be on people’s lips, but it’s far from most people’s hearts.

Giving Thanks to God has now become more of a tradition at the dining room table than it is out of heart of genuine thankfulness. Even though we bow our heads and ask God to bless our family and the food upon the table, the meaning of the words, not to mention whom the prayer is directed towards, is basically unknown.

Isaiah relays God’s word to Israel of its eventual downfall because of its lack of gratitude.

“I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.” (Isaiah 1:2b-3)

Why? Why are we so hesitant and resistant to give thanks to God? It may be because of the independent spirit that resides within us.

• We want to be the master of our own destiny, and not beholden to anyone, including God.
• We also want to determine for ourselves what’s right and wrong, and not follow the way God has outlined in His word.
• And how quick are we to praise ourselves or thank others when things go well, but when they don’t how quick are we to blame God.

This independent spirit that’s hesitant to give God thanks is nothing less than the sin nature that resides within. The Bible says that we all sin and fall short of God’s holy and righteous stands for life, Romans 3:23. It’s this overall sin nature, therefore, that’s resistant to give God thanks because it opposes all that’s of God, and wants to be separate from Him.