True thanksgiving, however, is…

I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:11 KJV)

 The word that stands out to me in this statement is “learned.” In other words, he didn’t just wake up one morning thankful to be hungry, cold, hunted, shipwrecked, or imprisoned. He may not have always been content with his life, but through experience he learned that the goodness of God transcended any of his physical circumstances, and that allowed him to be content or grateful no matter where he ended up.
 Genuine gratitude is admitting that what I have right now is enough, and if I have enough right now, why am I hurrying off to some other thing, or fretting and fuming over some situation that isn’t happening now? The thing is, giving thanks is not a naturally occurring habit. Learning to see all that there is to be grateful for takes practice. It’s something that we must learn, thankful thought by thankful thought
 The honest truth for me is that I don’t always recognize that kind of contentment. I often find myself thinking, “Oh, when we get that all taken care of, then I can finally relax!” or “I’ll be happy when I lose 10 pounds, finish this or that course, get this or that organized, see so-and-so again.” And on the list goes.
 True thanksgiving, however, is learning to see the gifts that God gives us every day and being grateful for them. And allowing for the realization of His goodness to be the foundation of all our thoughts. —Mara Hodler [1]

 We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country. —C. S. Lewis

[1] Anchor The How and When of Giving Thanks