These two words - being thankful and gratitude are words we use interchangeably in our daily conversations yet they differ in meaning. Gratitude is one of the natural positive emotions like love, therefore it is universal. Gratitude like the other emotions is of the heart/mind. Gratitude of heart occurs whenever the specific hormones responsible for it is triggered up in response to the pleasant and delightful positive input of things, happenings and situations received from the Spiritual or physical realm. Gratitude of the heart joyfully recognizes, acknowledges, appreciates and reciprocates life's goodness, and being thankful for them. The human emotions and feelings are of the mind and spiritual in nature and therefore can easily conform to what they are exposed to, which implies they could easily shift grounds or change course. They can be influenced and controlled. All emotions and feelings can increase tremendously in intensity.

When the heart is full of gratitude wonderful feelings of inexplicable joy and gladness erupts from it unto all parts - body soul and spirit, one smiles, dances, kneels down, sings, tells others, says sweet words to oneself and others; one is at peace inwardly and outwardly. One is full of expectancy and radiates so much sweetness and kindness to other people around. One is energized and could literarily undertake any task successfully without getting tired. This feeling is what being thankful implies. As we can see here, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter; and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us: whereof we are glad" (Psalm 126: 1-4).

Thankfulness is a word that indicates the quality of our thanks - a very high level, degree or quantity of gratitude in the heart - a heart full of thanks; a revelation to the fact that it is possible for the heart to be devoid of thanks - thanks-empty, thankless. It implies it is only a heart filled and full or abundant with gratitude that can express thankfulness. Jesus said from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The level or degree of thankfulness in your heart determines the degree of your thanksgiving. Thankfulness of heart is jubilant and expressive in nature, this is because the whole heart - mental, emotions/feelings and the will are involved and this, in turn, involves the whole body.

Being thankful - a joyful response is the most needed and important ingredient in appreciation or thanksgiving. One has to be thankful to be able to tell someone thank you because a heart empty of gratitude cannot give what it does not have. Thanksgiving without thankfulness is emptiness, lacking inner joy; reluctant and unwilling therefore needed to be pushed/cajoled because it is full of self. Gratitude is a thing of the heart, once it is not from the heart; thanksgiving becomes mere lip-service and hypocritical/mechanical, is based on human effort and geared towards self-glorification. It is impossible to be genuinely thankful/grateful and not express it. Thankfulness is uncontainable. It is not something that can be bottled up, if the heart is truly thankful/grateful, it will overflow out and it shows one way or the other in the words, looks and actions of one that has it. A thankful heart does not need to be cajoled, pushed, or forced to offer thanks verbally or give of one’s substance before doing so, because thanksgiving, giving and worship flows out freely and willingly from a thankful heart. Thankfulness of heart opens the hand to give bountifully. Thankfulness of heart has an overwhelming flow of gladness and rejoicing, it is jubilant in nature and would make one dance, jump, sing or do any action that connotes rejoicing. Thankfulness humbles the heart and the whole being therefore would willingly bow the head or the knee to the benefactor. Thankfulness takes total control of the whole man from himself to focus on the benefactor. Thankfulness of heart would go the extra mile to please the benefactor, willingly reciprocating by giving something back to the benefactor not as a payback but as an act of love and gratitude.

To be thankful involves accepting, liking, attaching importance and worth/value to all gifts and favors received no matter how little or small they are. Any gift or favor not liked or which importance is not attached to is not valued and even when accepted it is never appreciated; likewise the giver of such gifts. One thing we should have at the back of our hearts is that all gifts given or favor done by someone costs the giver something. And to be thankful, one must know that whatever we have been given is not our right but privileges.

As Christians we are charged to be thankful always to God and man, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15). This implies our hearts must be full of gratitude at all times that is having an attitude of gratitude to God always for His benevolence.

The Christians should be the most thankful to God in everything and at all times most especially because of all that Jesus is, did, and obtained for us by His birth, sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension. “Be thankful unto him and bless his holy name” - Psalm 100:4.

Are you a thankful individual? What are you thankful unto the Lord for today?
GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO I.
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