Joyfully Give Thanks! 

July 9, 2026

Joyfully Give Thanks! 

I watch about ten minutes of one of the all-day news networks each morning while I am enduring the Stair Master at the gym. The show is somewhat informative. Mostly, however, it is someone’s opinion poured over the network’s agenda.

When I get a little impatient with all the bias, I find myself punishing the Stair Master a bit more than normal. I am happy for the next exercise station in my rotation because there is no television. It seems that both my joy and my gratitude for life return pretty quickly as soon as I stop watching the news channel.

Most news reporting seems to be pessimistic, cynical, and discouraging. I don’t know how much of that diet my heart, mind, and soul really needs. Instead, I ask the Holy Spirit to produce the kind of fruit in me that makes me excited about life.

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul provides a list of the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. Paul writes; “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” That sounds a whole lot better than the fruit of pessimism, cynicism, and discouragement or the fruit that leads to harm, destruction, and hopelessness.

In his letter to the church in Colossae, the Apostle Paul reminds the people that he is continuing to pray for them. In Colossians 1:11-12 Paul writes; “May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, so that you may have all endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” 

Paul reminds the Christians in that city he is praying they will be made strong by the power of God, the Lord will help them to endure their current circumstances, and the Lord will give them the gift of patience.

Paul then encourages the people to always be “…joyfully giving thanks to the Father.” We are called to give thanks to our Father in heaven. Our expression of gratitude to the Lord flows out of the joy the Holy Spirit is producing in our heart, mind, and soul.

It is hard for me to watch very much of the all-day news networks and then turn around and joyfully give thanks to my Heavenly Father. It’s just hard to get past all the negativity and sarcasm and not so camouflaged agendas.

Instead, I try to fill my mind and my heart and my soul with the things of God’s Kingdom. I read the Bible, I participate in a small group, I serve the poor, I observe silence/stillness, I worship with other believers, I tithe, I spend time in prayer, I engage in spiritual conversations, I share the blessings Jesus has poured over me, and I celebrate the unexpected work of the Holy Spirit in and through me with others.

Sometimes I do a few of these things pretty well and most of them not so well. But, I am trying to listen for the voice of Jesus, pay attention to the good news of the Gospel at work in me and around me, and remind myself that the Lord God is good and great and gracious and generous as well as strong and wise and tender and merciful.

What I put into my mind, allow to touch my heart, or let seep into my soul takes my life and my joy and my gratitude in a direction that is sometimes not healthy or helpful or holy for me. When I focus upon Jesus and the things of His Kingdom, I find I can often be “…joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”

When joy and gratitude flow from my heart and through my mouth, my life is filled with more and more delight for the Lord and more and more love for other people.  

I invite you to watch a few less hours of news today. Instead, give the same amount of time to joyfully giving thanks to our Heavenly Father.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug