Are You Grateful, or Just Thankful? This time of the year causes me to reflect on moments, things, and people for whom I am “thankful”; or shall I say, for whom I am “grateful”. We frequently hear those two terms used interchangeably, but the meanings are quite different. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, thankful means being “conscious or aware of benefits received” and grateful is being “appreciative of benefits received.” It is an emotion that flows from the heart and always results in an action.
When Jesus healed the ten lepers all of them were thankful, but only one of them showed his appreciation with an attitude of gratitude. (Luke 17: 10—19) “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him… Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”
I wonder how many of us are truly grateful to God for His many blessings, and how do we act upon what we have received from God with genuine acts of gratitude?
“…rejoice in all of the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.” Deuteronomy 26:11
Faithfully,
Pastor R. Mario Howell