There’s a quote that says “a simple thank you, goes a long way”. 

After the experience I had this week, with the unexpected possibility of becoming unemployed and seeing persons I work with lose their jobs because of the effects of the corona-virus pandemic (COVID-19), this quote got me thinking.

At that moment, I realised that we (myself included) take a lot of things for granted, and it only takes a moment for everything to change, which led me to the place of gratitude and thanksgiving.

So, I asked myself? How often do I really show my thanks, gratitude and appreciation for the provisions that I have? Do I offer my thanksgiving to the creator who made all these things possible OR am I like the nine unthankful lepers in Luke 17: 11-19?

In the text, Jesus healed ten men from leprosy. However, only one man; a Samaritan came back to offer his thanks. Jesus noticed this and asked, "where are the other nine? Didn’t they too receive healing?" It was this question that got me thinking. In our daily lives, are we like the nine lepers who may have felt as though they earned their blessings and as such felt entitled and didn’t see the need to give thanks? Or do we believe that when things and provisions are made possible for us, it's just a coincidence that makes us “lucky”? Or when things happen, we doubt that it could be the doing of the Lord?

It was in thinking these things that I realised we often times fail to acknowledge God for His provisions in our lives. How many of God’s blessings do you and I fail to thank Him for? How many times have we received but not believed? How many times have we thanked our “lucky stars” rather than the Lord? How many times have we concluded that we have “earned” the good things we have?

If your answer to these questions is a lot, then my friend, you have much thanksgiving to go and offer to your creator. The experience of almost being unemployed taught me to give God thanks in every situation and not take anything for granted. It has also shown me to always be quick to say thank you to that one or few persons who have offered some assistance or support in some way, shape, or form as saying thank you goes a far way, and it shows you are appreciative and grateful for what you have received.

So, Lord I just want to tell you thanks for everything I have and the people who assist me in providing for my needs. What do you need to give thanks for?

“When you have an attitude of gratitude, you wake up saying thank you.”

- Maya Angelou