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Gratitude vs. Thankfulness vs. Thanksgiving

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”

- Henry Van Dyke

I stumbled upon these words from Henry Van Dyke this morning and was taken aback. His explanations of these similar words are poignant, though I was challenged by the truth that "thanksgiving" is a verb. Merriam-Webster is in agreement with Van Dyke in his treatment of the word as an action. It is defined there as: "1. the act of giving thanks."

In our (sometimes warped) culture, thanksgiving is way more about receiving than giving anything. On Thanksgiving (the holiday), we receive excessive amounts of food while also receiving a few days of vacation from our livelihoods. Most of us feel very grateful toward God in our hearts but do not act on our feelings or truly GIVE thanks.

I challenge you to pray about thanksgiving (the word in general and the holiday) and ask God how He wants you to participate. Maybe He's asking you to sacrifice something (money, time, a desire) to express your gratitude to Him. Maybe He wants you to pick up a new habit or participate regularly in some form of service using your gifts to express your gratitude. I don't know how He will prompt you to give thanks, but I challenge you to really seek Him this week and act upon your "natural impulse to express" your feelings of thankfulness. I'm seeking with you!

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