Anyone who has ever decided to plant a garden learns that good soil takes a lot of work. It doesn't just happen. In the parable of the sower, Luke 8:15, "And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear much fruit with perseverance."

A gardener knows when he puts a tomato seed in the ground it will produce after its kind. After feeding, watering and keeping the weeds out the harvest comes. It's a time to give thanks to God for creating all things good --1st Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

But what about the seed God sows in our heart? Did the seed grow and then start to wither because it had no moisture (Luke 8:6-7)? Or have we allowed the weeds and thorns to choke out our joy and gratefulness in searching for God?

Plants must be watered in order to live-it's their food. Do we feed our minds everyday with God's word? Think about not just reading, but searching the scriptures to find God and know Him, Acts 17:11, "Now these were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so."

The Bereans had fed and watered their hearts by eagerly searching God's word. Eagerness and noble-mindedness produces a thankful heart. Here's a lesson on what to do to grow a grateful heart.

We should count our blessings every day for what we have and be content and stop worrying about what we don't have. Discontentment and worry are weeds and thorns, but a life of joy and gratefulness grows roots that will endure throughout our life here. Hebrews 13:5 says "Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things that you have: for he has said I will never leave thee, nor forsake you".

We have so many things such as our families, our food, shelter, clothing and our freedom that some will never have, most of all our spiritual blessings, that we might have the hope of heaven through our obedience to God.

Everything we have we have received from God, James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father, with whom there is no variableness, nether a shadow of turning".

The emphasis of our gratitude should be put on the spiritual things we have, we have the remission of our sins Acts 2:38,we have the love that never fails 1st Corinthians 3:18, we have a mansion prepared for us John 14:2 and we have a crown of life waiting for us in James 1:12.

The Lord has given us so much that when we pray to God to thank Him for all things that he gives us: let us all pray, help us to have a grateful heart.

Eric