Often when one contemplates the idea of thanksgiving, whether in a religious context or not, this person usually stumbles on the idea that thanksgiving is an act that we do to recognize the good things someone or something has done in our lives. It is usually very external and relies heavily on various circumstances that can change within a given moment. In both Patristic writings and Church traditions and rites, the Orthodox idea is very present, and it is also variably different from a typical view of Thanksgiving.

To start, a definition of thanksgiving relative to an Orthodox mindset is needed, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III says in his book Life Of Thanksgiving, “Therefore, when you give thanks, you are glorifying God, acknowledging his loving kindness to you”. This offers a different idea, purpose, and application of thanksgiving in our lives compared to what is usually assumed. In this context, thanksgiving is more implied as a lifestyle, a mindset, and an anchor in our minds in our relationships with God. Notice also how the quote mentions loving kindness, not necessarily what we have or don’t have but God’s grace, which is ever present no matter what we may go through as individuals. Even in scripture, this lifestyle is alluded to. It says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks”. St. Paul presents a fascinating verse that leaves many, even today, wondering what he truly means. Is it possible to always rejoice, always pray and seek God’s voice in our lives, and how can we always give thanks if life isn’t always good?

To expand more on the definition Pope Shenouda gave, we can look in the church rites, particularly in the Gregorian liturgy where the priest reads, “You, as a lover of mankind, have created me human, you had no need of my servitude but rather I had need of your lordship. Because of the multitude of your tender mercies you have brought me into existence when I was not. You have raised heaven as a roof for me and established the earth for me to walk upon. For my sake, you have bound the sea. For my sake, you have manifested the nature of animals...”. Here, the idea of giving thanks by means of glorifying God and recognizing what he does for us is very apparent. The priest states in the first line how God’s grace is present in our lives, even in the idea of life itself. Through love, through the creation, we are surrounded by God’s mercy and his love. We then establish a very sound reason (among many others) for this recognizing of God’s love towards us. It is established that our relationship with God is not based on who we are and how bad or good we can be on any given day but rather on how good God is through all times and the beautiful fruits of falling under his Lordship.

Even the early church fathers recognized the importance of recognizing and giving thanks to God throughout our lives; Saint Basil the Great even gives us advice on how to do this when he says “When the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator." 

Life a lot of times isn’t fair, suffering and sadness are things that are rampant throughout our society, however once we learn to not look within these things to find peace but rather use what life gives us to love, recognize, and find God, then and only then can we be satisfied and content in our lives with God.