As I begin my preparations for our annual Thanksgiving dinner with our family (at least those who are still in town!), I’m reminded of all the recent Facebook posts about “What I’m thankful for today….” Of course, at this time of year we’re more acutely aware of thankfulness, but shouldn’t an attitude of gratitude be evident every day all year?

Of course we’re thankful for the blessings of a home, and provisions, and rich relationships … and we should be … we should never take these blessings for granted or treat them lightly. But I’ve come to realize that some blessings are disguised in illness, and scarcity, and pain, and problems. So how can we recognize those blessings and be thankful for them? That’s when being thankful gets hard! Thanksliving is easy when life is going smoothly … but what about when things aren’t going well? As we proclaim our thankfulness for material blessings and happy relationships, we forget to be thankful for those hidden blessings in the hard places. But the Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) Another version puts it this way “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (The Message) I have found in my own experience that if I consciously look for the hidden blessings, if I intentionally express my gratitude IN SPITE OF the circumstances of the moment, I can always find something to be thankful for, and more importantly, an attitude of thanksgiving will lift me above those circumstances and help me focus on the good and blessed! A thankful attitude helps me to remember “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) That one verse helps me to see all of life from God’s perspective.

The Bible is filled with scriptures about thanksgiving and being thankful. It’s a given that “religious” people, people of faith, believers should be thankful. But, more and more in the secular arena, we’re seeing evidence that thankfulness is an essential element of life success – physical, emotional, mental, and even financial! Read any of the successful bloggers/entrepreneurs like Michael Hyatt, Dan Miller, Marie Forleo, Darren Hardy, and over and over you’ll read their declarations that gratitude is not only important, but essential to one’s success in life and business. Who knew?!?!? The truth of God’s Word isn’t just for “religious” folks, but it is truth for everyone!

So as we enjoy our Thanksgiving feasts today and as we express our gratitude for the abundance of food and friends and family around the table, let’s be conscious of our need to develop a daily attitude of gratitude. It will improve our personal perspective on life, it will make us more enjoyable company for those around us, and it will help us to LIVE our thanks every day of the year.