Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
 

I consider it the one remaining pure holiday. While Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas have become massively commercialized, Thanksgiving feels different. With the creep of Black Friday sales into Thanksgiving evening, that purity is waning.

I love Thanksgiving because of the gratitude we show for what we have, not the focus on what we lack. For one day, our culture seems to acknowledge life’s blessings with a sense of gratefulness.

Ironically, that gratitude in November precedes two very different experiences. December is a month of our greatest greed and consumption, while at the same time it is a month of our most significant giving. In December, we spend more than in any other month, and we give more money away than in any other month. But, in January, we see our lowest month of all when it comes to charitable giving.

It seems as if when our gratitude runs out, generosity runs out too.

Several years ago, I was leading a young single adult ministry. Many people wanted to serve at a local charity during December. One particular charity generated a lot of interest. When we called that charity, they said, “No, we don’t have any spots during December. Groups have already signed up for all of those. But, if you still care about us in January, we do have lots of openings then.”

The charity worker knew the truth - the urge to express generosity is seasonal. When we pitched the idea of a January date to our people, the interest dried up, and we couldn’t fill the spot they offered us.

Practicing Gratitude Leads to Open-Handed Generosity

Gratitude is a tool in the fight for our attention. While we are inundated with thousands of advertisements each day, sowing seeds of discontent and greed in our hearts, gratitude pulls up those seeds and replaces them with contentment.

Gratitude reminds us of the abundance we enjoy because of God’s grace and goodness. As researcher Dr. Brené Brown notes, “The opposite of scarcity isn’t abundance; the opposite of scarcity is enough.” When we realize what we have is enough, then we can unclench our fists and share generously.

In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul shares insight into his ability to be content in all circumstances. He writes, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

He knew the faithfulness of God and the abundance of what God had given him. He could do all things through Christ, who gave Him strength. And because of that, He was grateful to God and generous with others. But, all too often, we are ungrateful to God and lack generosity with others.

So, how do we practice gratitude in a way that leads to generosity? Here are four important habits to implement:

1. Reject a seasonal approach to gratitude.
Even when our culture shifts from Thanksgiving to Christmas, or from the holiday season to a new year, keep giving thanks to God. Practicing gratitude for less than 10% of the year won’t change the way we live all year long. So, instead of a seasonal approach to gratitude, look for ways to develop a daily gratitude practice. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul talks about “being thankful in all circumstances.” That’s the kind of approach to gratitude that will change us and change our perspectives.

2. Beware of entitlement.
Entitlement isn’t a Millennial problem; it’s a human condition and we’re all vulnerable.

Years ago, in a small group I attended, we did a Bible study on finances. Early on, we all filled out a Quit Claim Deed. We wrote down everything major we owned and all of the bank accounts we stewarded. On this “deed,” we transferred ownership from ourselves to God. It was a powerful experience, tangibly declaring that God was the owner of all, and we were His stewards.

While that might sound cheesy, sometimes it takes a cheesy act to maintain gratitude. Because where gratitude fades, entitlement awakens.

3. Answer the question, “how much is enough?”
In Philippians 4:19, Paul wrote, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

If God is going to meet our needs, then we get to ask the hard question: how much is enough? Without answering this question, we’ll follow the pattern of American generosity - the more you make in America, the smaller the percentage of your income you give away. Once you meet that number, everything else can be a tool to serve others.

4. Live generously all year long. 
It’s fun to be generous during the holidays. But just as we reject a seasonal approach to gratitude, we need to build a year-round lifestyle of generosity. What if you served at a soup kitchen during December AND January? What if you encouraged a teacher during Teacher Appreciation Week and the week of parent-teacher conferences? What if you gave a care package to a single mom in February, not just in May?

And, consider who could use those shoes you’re tempted to flip on eBay?

What if this holiday season, and the year to come, we're not only our most grateful ever but also our most generous? Think of what Jesus could do through grateful hearts and open hands.