Give Thanks Until You Feel It

 I keep a guitar near my desk at all times so that I can practice my own kind of music therapy.  I like to play on days when I feel on top of the world—my song flows out of my joy.  But I need to play on days when I feel down—sometimes your joy has to flow out of your song.  Some days the message and the melody are like a letter from home that reminds you of all of the good things and clears your eyes to see good and see God.  On good days, I play because I feel it.  On bad days, I play until I feel it. 

Giving thanks is like that.  On good days, a Christian can hardly keep from praising God.  Not doing so is like trying to stop the water from coming out of a garden hose with your thumb.  You can hold it for a moment, but then it just has to spew out. 

But on bad days, giving thanks is more like working a pump handle.  There’s no water when you start.  There’s no water for a while.  You give thanks though you don’t yet feel thankful.  But if you keep on giving thanks, taking action in spite of what you may feel, the waters of gratitude and joy will come.  Giving thanks is the action you take, believing that in time your feelings will follow. 

Give thanks because you feel it.

Give thanks until you feel it.

Either way, it is good to give thanks.