When the leaves begin to fall or change to warmer colors, we begin to think about Thanksgiving and reasons to be thankful. But, thankfulness can truly go beyond one Thursday in the year. I challenged myself to do 30 days of thanks last year, and it truly helped the day to be more than just about a hectic day of meal prep and running around.
30 Days of Thanks Anytime
November always seems like an appropriate time to initiate a 30 days of thanks challenge, but you can set aside your 30 days at anytime of the year. It is all about being intentional in remembering all of the blessings bestowed upon us.
Living A Thankful Life
You should consider challenging yourself to 30 days of thanks, if you really struggle with living a thankful life. Do you find yourself complaining a lot or being too busy? If you concentrate on thankfulness for a few minutes to start your day, it may change your whole perspective. It’s time for us to all stop and smell more roses.
What Does the Bible Say About Being Thankful?
God desires for us to be thankful. There are many references in the Bible (I’ll get to a few of those in just a sec) that lets us know that we should be grateful and provide praises to God. Praises to God is a form of thankfulness. Even Dictionary.com describes it as “a grateful homage in words of song, as an act of worship”. Wow! An act of worship — now, that is major.
When it comes to God’s desire for our thankfulness and praises, I am also reminded of Psalms 22:3 (KJV).
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
One of my favorite verses is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says: Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
When we have a more grateful heart, it is easier for us to execute God’s will in our lives and not fall victim to less than favorable conditions. Read any given Psalms, and the author reflects someone who may be in a midst of trial, but is thankful that God is on his side.
How to Practice Gratitude
If you are wondering how to practice gratitude and commit to 30 days of thanks, I have provided four easy ways to get started. I believe they will not only help you become more thankful, but I bet you might brighten the day of others as well.
Read or Write Bible Verses on Thankfulness for 30 Days
Last year, I read a Bible verse a day around gratitude and thankfulness. I decided to bookmark the ones I used and share them in the Subscribers’ Library. I have already mentioned a few above as a reminder to be thankful. So, be sure to download these 30 bible verses on thankfulness. You may want to take it a step further than reading during your 30 days of thanks. I have found scripture writing helpful for scripture memorization and simply to provide a visual on the verse.
Send a thank you letter to friends and family
We always hear about how its great to send a handwritten note of appreciation to a job interviewer. If you can send thanks to someone you just met, why not share a note of love to lifelong friends? It will probably not be something that they would be expecting.
A heartfelt thank you letter to friends and family is a great demonstration of thankfulness and care. Forbes mentioned other reasons for sending thank you notes.
Can you think of 30 people to give a letter to? It may go beyond close family and friends. Think about including your local mail carrier, or the barista who always makes you smile.
Commit to a random act of kindness for the next 30 days.
This activity could be quite fun for the next 30 days. Giving is a great way to show thanks. It may go beyond paying for someone’s dinner. Volunteer service is definitely a form of giving and an alternative way to show thanks. You will find that many people participate in activities like Giving Tuesday or family volunteer activities around Thanksgiving. You could plan out your “random acts”. Or, choose to be super spontaneous and ask God to put you in position to truly bless someone who needs it each day.
Use a gratitude journal to write out what you are thankful for.
A gratitude journal cannot only help you document 30 days of thanks, but you may find it helpful in strengthening your faith. Sometimes it is too, too easy to forget, all the things that God has given us or the people he placed in our lives. A simple reflection in your gratitude journal can get you on the right track. Grab you a notebook or purchase something fancy.
30 Days of Thanks: Do You Have Any Ideas?
These are my top four 30 Days of Thanks ideas, but there are so many ways that you can show your gratitude beyond November. Feel free to comment below with how you keep an attitude of gratitude.
THANKS for Reading!
P.S. Are you looking for more ways to strengthen your faith? I believe practicing gratitude or being intentional about thankfulness is one of the keys to growing your faith. You can check out all of the 11 actions that I believe will help you increase your faith here.
30 Days of Thanks
Here is more on Thankfulness from the Community of Saved Women