I firmly believe that the pathway to joy is lined with the daily discipline of giving thanks. Paul says, ‘Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18) He goes even further in Ephesians 5:20, saying, ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
We become thankful, joyful people by joyfully giving thanks. It’s as simple as that. It’s a daily discipline. Pollyanna learned to play the ‘glad game’, finding reasons to be glad in every circumstance that came her way. Somehow, we find it much easier to list our complaints and moans and groans than we do to give thanks, but as we stop to count our blessings and think of reasons to be cheerful, our attitudes change, and we realise how blessed we are. Then we are, as C. S. Lewis put it, ‘surprised by joy.’