Practice Thanksgiving  

There is nothing better for us than considering what has been done for us. There is not a person on the planet whose life is not mostly defined by what they have been given. The more we realize this, the better our lives will be. We must learn to practice thanksgiving. 

Practicing thanksgiving leads to more blessings. A heart full of gratitude changes our mindset — our attitude — and leads to dramatically different selfless based actions that result in blessing others. Acting for the benefit of others helps us understand our value in the world and leads to even greater blessings of assurance, purpose, and meaning. 

To cultivate a thankful heart, we must reflect on all that we have so that the statements, “the Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1) and “my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5) become a reality in our daily life and work. 

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - [.no-reftag]2 Corinthians 9:8[.no-reftag] 

An Ancient Practice That Changes Perspective

So how do you cultivate this kind of gratitude — the kind that doesn't just make you feel better but actually empowers you to live differently?

Let me introduce you to Dayenu (pronounced "day-AY-new"), a practice that's been shaping hearts for thousands of years.

Dayenu is Hebrew for "it would have been enough." It's part of the Jewish Passover celebration where families recount God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. But instead of rushing through the story, Dayenu breaks it into distinct moments of grace. After each one, everyone declares: "Dayenu—it would have been enough."

Here's the pattern:

• "If He had given us His law, but had not brought us into the promised land — it would have been enough."
• "If He had brought us out of Egypt, but had not punished our oppressors — it would have been enough. "
• "If He had punished our oppressors, but had not parted the sea — it would have been enough."
• "If He had parted the sea, but had not provided for us in the wilderness — it would have been enough."
• "If He had given us His law, but had not brought us into the promised land –– it would have been enough."

Do you see what's happening? Each blessing is savored individually. And with each "it would have been enough," you acknowledge you didn't deserve even the first gift, let alone all that followed. By the end, you're overwhelmed by the surplus of grace.

This practice does something powerful: it trains you to see blessings specifically rather than generally, fights the attitude of entitlement, and creates cumulative wonder at how much you have been given.

And here's the connection to sacrifice: when you genuinely believe "just being freed would have been enough," you become someone willing to face hardship in the wilderness — because the initial gift already exceeded what you deserved.

Start the Practice Now 

You can create your own Dayenu using the tool below and receive a personalized PDF of your Thanksgiving Practice! 

Create your Dayenu based on your story — whatever has given your life meaning, purpose, or transformation. For followers of Jesus, it might trace the path of salvation and grace. For those still exploring faith, it might catalog the gifts and turning points that have shaped who you are.

Need more on this subject? Watch video The Advantage of Gratitude Based Selfless Action | Howard Graham

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