In this fast-paced world, sometimes it can be easy to forget to be thankful to God. The days start and end in the blink of an eye, leaving us exhausted and worn down. There are so many things to be thankful for, but sometimes we may find ourselves taking those things for granted. The dictionary defines the word “thankful” as “feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.” As the fall Holy Days approach and we come out of the dark days of the world, we are reminded to give thanks always “for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

One way to be more thankful every day is to look around you and notice the things that God created. Imagine you’re walking down the street. You’re so busy getting to a meeting that you don’t notice the warm breeze in your hair and the smell of damp dirt. Wishing you hadn’t made the appointment so early, you try to block the bright sunrise from your burning eyes. If you had noticed God’s creation on the way to the appointment, maybe it would’ve helped you have a better day. There are plenty of things about which to be thankful. You just have to find them. “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Another way to be more thankful is to acknowledge and appreciate the calling God has given us. A lot of us may have grown up in the Church; some may have recently come into it. Either way, it is such a huge blessing to be called into God’s truth and light! “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Just think for a moment of all the people in the world—some 7 billion—and think of how many people aren’t being called right now. We are so blessed to have our eyes opened to know God’s truth. “Not many wise . . . not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Corinthians 1:26). It’s not because of anything we or our parents have done or how great we are. We are here because of God’s perfect plan. We should all be thankful for that fact. The calling God has given you is yours. It is not your parents’ or anyone else’s. Don’t waste it!

Lastly, Bible study can remind us of who God is and all that we have to be thankful for. In this electronic age, it’s very easy to read the Bible on any number of electronic devices, but do we do it? The more access we have to the Bible, the easier it seems to be to put off study time. The best time to study God’s Word is right now! We need to make Bible study a daily, lifelong habit. “Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Do we constantly search God’s Scriptures with thankfulness and take advantage of this electronic age, or do we put it off because we can do it later? We must be thankful for the access we have to God’s Word and never take it for granted.

This world is full of violence and evil things. We’re to be lights of the world (Matthew 5:14), even when darkness is settling around us. Showing our thankfulness in every situation, no matter how dire or drear, can help to set us apart from the world. One thing I like to do when someone says something negative about the day is reply with a trumping positive comment. I countered a comment about a hot day during a picnic by replying, “At least it’s not raining.” Just adding a little bit of thankful optimism to people’s days can help a lot. “Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5).With God’s help, we can learn to be thankful for everything and lead happier lives.