“Gratitude lifts the burden and transforms despair into hope.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 23, 2025
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 106:1
Aunt Joy thought it was the perfect gift for her two-year-old nephew. The little red train came with tiny records that played music throughout our house. For this tired mom, the perfect gift quickly turned into an annoyance. The little train kept getting stuck against the wall, playing the same notes over and over. You can only endure so much of, “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down.”
Oftentimes, we get stuck on the negative until it becomes a part of our normal mindset and spills over into our words. Sounds of discouragement, complaining, and griping can grind on the last nerve. But some tunes need to be played over and over. It does a heart good to focus on gratitude and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving shifts our hearts and tunes them to the goodness of God. We need to get stuck on Thanksgiving!
Scripture suggests this very thought.
“Give thanks. Pray about everything. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.” Philippians 4:4
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1
Psalm 136 makes me smile because the Psalmist emphasizes gratitude. Twenty-six times he repeats, “His love endures forever. His love endures forever. His love endures forever.” Sounds like he got stuck against the “Goodness of God” wall.
The goodness of God is evident in both the smallest and the grandest of things. It requires deliberate effort to train the eye and heart to recognize each little blessing of God. The old hymn still rings true, encouraging me to: “Count my many blessings. Name them one by one.”
I want my life song to be one of gratitude to God. Thanksgiving isn’t just a day on the calendar; it’s a state of our hearts. The song of gratitude played repeatedly in our hearts can transform the atmosphere and fill a room with joy.
Gratitude lifts the burden and transforms despair into hope. It takes delight in the simple and acknowledges the goodness of the Lord.
What does your song sound like these days? Is your heart stuck on gratitude or complaints? Your heart might need a tune-up before jumping into the holiday frenzy. Pack up the pumpkins and haul out the holly, but keep Thanksgiving front and center in your heart, declaring that you’ve chosen the song of gratitude, no matter what your life looks like. Someone might begin to hum along with you!
Prayer
Lord, I want my heart to always be filled with thankfulness and gratitude. Your goodness is more than I can contain. Tune my heart to sing your praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
What song are you playing today? Lift a song of thanksgiving. Speak it or sing it throughout the day.
Related Reading
1 Thessalonians 5:18, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 103:2, Psalm 66
Worship Resource
Brandon Lake: Gratitude
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