Thankfulness

So I have been studying the idea of thankfulness for a sermon that I am preaching this weekend at our church.  I have been struck by the fact that when we use the term thanks or thankfulness, we are always using it as a term that expresses gratitude or relief.  However, in the greek language, the word group used for thanks and thankfulness had at its core the meaning of expressing joy.  I think there is a profound difference.  Gratefulness is showing an appreciation for something with a ready expectation of trying to return the favor.  Joy, on the other hand, is a "deep, durable delight in God that ruins you for anything else" (definition given by Sam Storms at the 2010 Desiring God Conference).  

When we view thankfulness as just merely being grateful, it inevitably leads to our thinking we can, and often trying to, repay God.  This belittles His character and grace.  Thankfulness is an expression of the joy that we have in Jesus Christ.  It is an attitude of life, a lifestyle, not merely an action we undertake before as we say grace over a meal.