On Thanksgiving Day, The Seattle Times printed a list of reasons to be thankful. While some sincere, it was mostly sarcastic comments about the state of the economy and Husky athletics.

In a city of people who always want more and better, true thankfulness is hard to come by.

As how people express their thanks changes as quickly as fashion — I prefer the neutral, coffee-shop gift card — the better question to ask is how often and why?

This holiday season has been hit hard with the economy and turmoil in India. Boeing and several other companies are talking about layoffs in January.

We’re exiting a season of blessing that was so rich with prosperity that comforts and security were the norm and not the exception.

While not all things are ominous, let me hearten you with a few verses and explain how God encourages us to find thankfulness in both grim and blessed seasons.

Back in the day, Paul the Apostle wrote to the church in Corinth, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God,” (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

I have this phrase, “be Jesus to me,” I use to describe God blessing me through other people. Paul says God blesses us so we can give to others, then we are all able to thank God.

If we aren’t thankful to God, we won’t forward his blessings to others, because we won’t even recognize them as blessings to begin with.

Paul also wrote to the church in Philippi, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

It seems only when our job security is at risk, do we turn and acknowledge that we have something to be thankful for, and sometimes it takes losing that secure job to find the humility to admit it was a blessing.

Paul says don’t hold onto your stress and fears, but trust God with them. When you pray, thank God for what blessings he has offered, then it will also be a reminder of God’s faithfulness to us.

Our tendency toward personal independence makes this last verse a bit difficult to follow.

Be thankful as a community.

Paul wrote to the Colossians, “And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:15-16).

This is a beautiful picture of the community in Colossus.

These Christians were “being Jesus” to each other. They were teaching, encouraging and giving with intelligence and understanding. It was a flourishing community living out thankfulness toward God.

It’s something we should strive to create.

Although we don’t expect to see secular Seattle singing hymns of thanks, blessing others as we have been blessed is the beginning of thankfulness.

This isn’t a law but — be grateful to God and he will continue fill your well with thanksgiving.

Reach columnist Celeste Gracey at opinion@dailyuw.com.