Finish Strong With Forty Days Of Thanksgiving

According to the Epoch Converter, a tool used to record and report time and dates, forty days are left in 2023. Typically, people wait until the New Year to adjust, but that's too late. That mindset will get you off to a sluggish start in 2024. A wise strategy is to begin making some changes now, one of which can center around gratitude. See, focusing on what to be thankful for is a game changer. Thus, use the next forty days to make a conscious effort to be grateful. Get a notebook and number your blessings. Record something you are thankful for each day, either now or in the past. Psalm 103:2 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Psychologist Shawn Achor, who teaches at Harvard, suggests that "we can train our brains to become more grateful by setting aside just five minutes a day for practicing gratitude." Educational studies have shown that repeating a task over time leads to a habit; in this case, taking time to think about what you're thankful for would be considered a good one!
With approximately one hundred and forty-six references in the Bible, the number 40 is significant. Generally, the number 40 symbolized specific timeframes in the Scriptures, including temptation, trials, and testing. The number 40 also corresponds with some of the most inspiring and influential Biblical characters. For example, Moses' life is divided into three forty-year periods. He lived 40 years in Egypt, another 40 in the desert, and then led God's people for 40 years. He spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai on two separate occasions.

The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy in the land of Canaan. Israel served the Philistines for 40 years before Samson's deliverance, and Elijah had no food and water for 40 days at Mount Horeb. Goliath mocked Saul's army for 40 days. Then there is Jonah, who delivered a 40-day warning to the people of Nineveh concerning their repentance, and you can also find the number 40 in Ezekiel's prophecies. Crossing into the New Testament, we read about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, and there are 40 days between His resurrection and ascension.

The reference to the number 40 is not a call to study the Bible from a numerology viewpoint because, in doing so, you will get lost in the weeds of confusion. More importantly, there is enough truth in plain sight to review rather than chase codes or hidden meanings, which will only lead to frustration. However, there is a practical side to the number 40 that can benefit us.
Once again, being that today marks the 325th day of the year, we have 40 days left on the calendar for 2023. So, let's finish strong with thankfulness in view. Paul shared this perspective concerning his life and finishing strong when he said in Second Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Knowing this, take these next 40 days to strengthen your relationship with God by focusing on gratitude. Be creative and be committed to being thankful.