What would you say if, in being "thankful" you are actually not "full of thanks"?

With the holidays coming up soon, there is a lot of talk going around about being thankful (with the start of Thanksgiving). Thankful for health, financial or occupational situations, family... But what if I said that we may not be "thank full"? Being "thankful" is really just being glad that we are benefiting from good things & appreciating God's blessings. (and that's a good thing, right?) But being "full of thanks" means that we look past our blessings, to the One who blesses. Being thank-full is about being full of gratitude for Jesus, and not just for the things that He's given, or done for, us.

Think about it - Write down (or come up with) a list of the things that you're thankful for. For me, health, mental happiness, my son & family, my relationship with God, and smaller things (like car, home, heat, ...) Now, apart from my relationship, everything else is physical - something I can see or touch. Would I still be thankful if, God forbid, something happened to my son? What about people with health conditions? Or have lost a loved one? Recently divorced? When those situations happen, do you still feel thankful? Or do we write it off, saying that "this year just isn't our year"?

The leper in this passage had his fair share of problems. But due to his thank-full-ness, he heard Jesus give him the greatest blessing of all - You're faith has made you well

Although we are still imperfect sinners, are we thank-full for what God has done for us? Whenever I ask any disciple, I have yet to meet someone who argued with this statement - Our best day pre-Jesus pales in comparison to our worst day as a disciple. Think about it - We have this relationship with the one true God, who has shown us true joy & happiness.

Also, imagine being healed from whatever it is that we suffer from (there is at least one thing where we are suffering from... think about it) because of our faith?!?

There will always be things that may cause us (at times) to not feel thankful for, but we can still be full of thanks by focusing on what thankfulness truly is. But the important key is our hearts - It must remain soft & receptive to God, so we can not only see God's blessings, but also God for being the One who blesses.