Psalm 118 tells us: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Gratitude is a prayer to God. After all, as Christians, we should get more from thanking Him than we do from asking Him for things. And, if gratitude is nurtured appropriately, it will grow and our focus on it will too. What happens when we obsess about something—pizza when we’re dieting, a television show when it has ended for the season, the warm weather when it’s gone? We think about the missing component constantly. What if we try to focus on gratitude this season?

I’m not saying it is missing from our lives, but we have been through a lot lately as Americans— terrorist attacks, a grueling presidential election, and natural disasters from our own coastline to Italy and beyond. Maybe, in our “survival mode” these past few months, we have forgotten how to give thanks. Or maybe we remember how to give thanks but still focus on the negative, which takes us away from the positive aspects of our lives. 

Let’s face it, giving thanks and feeling a generosity of spirit is something that we know is good for us—better than dwelling on bills, fighting with a neighbor, or reading sensationalistic news stories daily. Yet, we don’t often do it. If telling others how much they mean to us feels good and helps another, why not make that a daily initiative? If working hard and remaining disciplined about bills, health, and family responsibilities allows you a good night’s sleep and puts you on the path to being more organized and successful, then why can’t that be part of an easy weekly “to do” list? If you find that focusing on only positive news or taking action when you see the things you want to change is rewarding, why not make that a personal habit too?

This season, around our Thanksgiving dinner tables, at church over the holiday weekend, and in our daily interaction with co-workers, I want us all to take stock of what we have to be thankful for. Focus on what fills our hearts with gratitude. Maybe we’re not millionaires, but we can make a good living. Maybe we are disappointed with the world or the way our job is going, but we have our own personal goals, and we can make a difference when we put our minds to it. And maybe we don’t get turkey, stuffing, and potatoes with gravy every day, but on Thanksgiving, we might. All of this is deserving of thanks—of long-term gratitude and a shift in focus.

God does love us regardless of our thankfulness, gratitude, or whatever you want to call it. In His eyes, gratitude and practicing thankfulness can only lead to strength of character and a renewed sense of love for Him and love for our fellow humankind. 

Let’s go back to Psalm 118 6-7 and see what it tells us once we get past the initial need to give thanks to the Lord: “When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; He brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The LORD is with me; He is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.”

In further analysis, we find what we should be obsessing on: No fear when we love and honor God—only victory over challenges and a push to have gratitude for the life we are all given.