To be grateful is an inward feeling, but to be thankful is an outward action. Gratefulness precedes thankfulness, but to pursue gratefulness as an end in itself is dangerous, because it neglects to thank God and others for the things we should be thankful for.
Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks, not just feeling grateful. It’s a time to remind ourselves that we should be always thankful in all things, not just one time per year. There are 12 thankfulness months per year. We should be always praising God for his goodness, and thanking Him for the many blessings.
We area not to sit in mere quiet reverence, which is also valuable; but to also take actions to show our love for God through thanking and serving others, giving to the poor, and making sacrifices in our own lives so that others can have a better life.
It’s both galvanizing to help the poor and needy and mobilizing to fight evil to prevent the destruction of our people. It’s being verbally thankful to one another and taking actions to express gratitude; not just the inward feeling of gratitude which without action is not gratitude at all but self-comfort.
There is no gratitude without the outward expression in actions so that others can receive some blessing in return; there is no thankfulness without outward expression of thanks in word and deed.
Thanksgiving is not about food, it’s about reminding ourselves the importance of giving thanks: first to God, and then to our family and community, through sincere words of thanks and also through charity to one another.
So remember this, this Thanksgiving season, and reignite the spark of thankfulness through outward action, through family and community involvement and selfless deeds toward others, denying oneself to the benefit of others for the glory of God and in the service of Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving.