And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18 (The Passion Translation).

Most folks reading this passage are a thankful bunch. We wouldn’t dream of praying without including gratefulness to God. We’re even careful to lift appreciation for provision heavenward before we chomp down food. Some other cultures even think Americans say “thank you” way too much. This was one of our biggest cultural challenges when we lived in China. Our Chinese friends couldn’t see why we celebrated Thanksgiving as an official holiday!

I believe our Father delights in all authentic thoughts, words, and acts of thanksgiving.

It is indeed His perfect plan for us in Christ Jesus! We–as believers in the risen, living, loving Christ–are called to give thanks in the midst of everything, even harrowing times like pandemics, financial troubles, health challenges, shortages, prodigal children, as well as the sharper needles of persecution and death. The rubber hits the road amid that tough stuff. This is where our thanksgiving moves deeper and broader than cultural thanksgiving.

How does God grow thankfulness so deep in us that it withstands the trials of life?

Here’s a basic plan that can help grow a heart full of gratitude:

1. Find the good soil that God has put in your heart, the place that is easily tended  in order to expand the field of thanksgiving. We don’t have to be perfect before we speak life into deep thanksgiving – we just have to start! 

2. Get rid of the poor soil – unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy. But don’t get stuck there! Turn it over to the Spirit for healing and renewal. 

3. Plant the seeds of thanksgiving. We plant the seeds of thanksgiving by scattering or targeting. For example, author John Kralik, tells how he scattered thanksgiving with 365 notes of appreciation in A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life. A friend of mine targets his daily thanksgiving to God by writing down everything he’s thankful for each day within a five-minute time frame. Both ways multiply into more seeds of thanksgiving. We can each find ways that fit us to scatter or target the seeds in our own lives. 

4. Water with the Word of God. 

5. Bring sunshine into the heart with the fellowship of fellow believers.

6. Feed the soul with communion through Jesus in prayer. 

7. Then watch for the increase, the deeper roots, the wider branches of thanksgiving that God brings to harvest.

May the Lord  bless us with hearts ready to cultivate profound, authentic gratitude, a hearty thanksgiving that withstands all the joys and jolts of life.

Growing Gratitude Together,

Sherrie Buscemi

About The Author: Although firmly rooted in Appalachia, Sherrie Buscemi has called the Southwest home for four decades. Early in her career, armed with a degree in journalism, she served as a feature writer for numerous small newspapers in West Virginia, Virginia, and New Mexico. While those professional writings told stories of lives, her freelance work shares testimonies of God’s workings in lives. Sherrie married the love of her life, Stephen, in Tucson, where she changed careers to work in property management. In addition to family, missions and missionary care have always been their top priorities — they even took leave of their jobs to serve in China for three years. With interests in the Bible and biographies; adoption and Asia; architecture and interior design; art and photography; poverty and housing; travel and trains, Sherrie tries to unpack them all out of the suitcase of God’s lavish love. he family has two dogs; two grandsons; and four daughters, called the 4H’s – Honour, Harmony, Haley and Holly. She currently lives in Rio Rancho, NM with her husband, their two youngest daughters, and the crazy canines. In addition to being a fellow Reclaimer, Sherrie serves on Valerie McMahon’s writing ministry team for Unveiled and FREE.