Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! (2 Corinthians 9:15 NLT)
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! (1 Chronicles 16:34 AMP)
We thank you, God, we thank you— your Name is our favorite word; your mighty works are all we talk about. (Psalm 75:1 MSG)
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! (Psalm 100:4 AMP)
At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:20 AMP)
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. (Colossians 4:2 NLT)
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 MSG)
Sing praise to the Lord, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks! (Psalms 30:4 GNB)
IT IS a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises [with musical accompaniment] to Your name, O Most High, (Psalm 92:1 AMP)
Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8 NLT)
Years ago I learned the Law of Thanksgiving. It simply states that the more you give thanks, the more you have to give thanks for. Think about that for a second. When’s the last time you were thankful for something? So far 2020 has been a crazy year. I see a ton of people complaining about it and wondering what’s next. We can be thankful that World War 3 didn’t happen, that COVID-19 didn’t kill the percentages that we were told it would, we got to spend some time at home with our family and we’re learning to have some long overdue conversations. I’m not minimizing the seriousness or impact any of the events that have happened so far this year, but there are reasons to give thanks in all of them.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus” (TPT). No matter what’s going on in your life, there’s a way and a reason to give thanks. In my darkest days, I learned to thank God that I didn’t have things as badly as someone else had it. It took a conscious effort to change my mind from, “I don’t think Job had it this bad” to “God, I realize things could be a lot worse in my life. Thank you that it’s not.” The more I began to change how I saw my situation and found reasons to be thankful, the less bitter I became. I believe it shortened the long term negative impact it could have had on my life.
Psalm 107 is a great chapter to teach thankfulness. I recommend reading the whole chapter, but today I want to share verses 8-9. They say, “So lift your hands and thank God for his marvelous kindness and for all his miracles of mercy for those he loves. How he satisfies the souls of thirsty ones and fills the hungry with all that is good!” To cultivate a thankful heart, you can’t just keep your thanks inside. You need to share it. Even though it’s not November as I write this, try thinking of one thing each day that you are thankful for and share that with others. Try doing that for 30 days or even longer. You will find that your outlook on life will change and that suddenly you will have a lot to be thankful for.
Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.
Growing up, my parents would let me have any shoe I wanted as long as it was less than $25. That was fine for a while, but then I arrived in junior high and Nike introduced the Air Jordan line up. My friends and neighbors got them, but I couldn’t. They were $100, which was considerably more than my $25 limit. I wanted them so badly that I began to put pictures of them in my binders, drew them in my books and had posters on my wall. I thought they were the coolest shoe ever. My parents were teaching me a couple of lessons. The first was to be thankful for what you have even if it’s not what you want. The second was that if you want something more than what you have, save up your money to get it. That created more value in those shoes than if they had been given to me.
In Philippians 4:11, Paul wrote, “For I have learned to be satisfied with what I have” (GNT). That’s a lesson we could all learn. He’s not saying that we shouldn’t ever want more than we have. It’s that we need to learn to be satisfied with what we do have. If we’re constantly looking for something else or wanting more, we will miss the lesson of contentment and fail to be appreciative of what God has given us. When we don’t appreciate something, we don’t value it. If we don’t value it, we take it for granted. God blesses us daily with good things that we look right past because we already want more than the daily bread He’s given us. Paul’s next verse said that whether he had a little or a lot, the secret to life was learning to be content and satisfied.
Ecclesiastes 6:9 put it this way, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” What blessings have you been overlooking? What are some things you get, but are never enough? A lack of satisfaction or contentment can be an outward expression of an inward brokenness. Once you’ve identified the outward expression, trace it to its roots. Ask God to bring healing to that area and to help you learn to be content with the things you have, whether a little or a lot. Once that change happens in you, the lens that you look at life through will change, and your prayers will too. Start changing them today by thanking Him for the many things He’s already blessed you with instead of asking Him for all the things you don’t have.
Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.
Every November I see people post daily about something they’ve thankful for. I love to see the posts, but gratitude shouldn’t be seasonal. It’s actually a spiritual discipline that we need to incorporate into our daily lives as Christians. In its trues form, it is an act of selflessness because it acknowledges that someone other than ourselves is the source of things in our lives. It gives credit where credit is due while working to keep us humble. Gratitude is one of the best ways to acknowledge God’s work in our lives. Too many times we pray to ask God for things, yet stop to give Him thanks when He answers. In our home, we have made it a practice to stop what we’re doing, no matter where we are, and give thanks once a prayer has been answered.
In Luke 17:11-19 it says that Jesus was walking from Galilee to Jerusalem. As He was passing through Samaria, He came into a village where He was met by ten lepers who called out to Him for help. Jesus saw them and simply told them to go show themselves to the priest. As they were walking along, they realized they were healed. Nine continued on to show the priest and run to their family. Verse 15-16 says, “One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying and praising and honoring God with a loud voice; and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan” (AMP). Jesus asked where the other nine were. Then he asked, “Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?” That question should challenge each of us to have the spiritual discipline of gratitude in our lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” It doesn’t matter what season we’re in, or what our circumstances are, we must learn to be grateful. When we continually give God thanks, it changes our perspective and attitude. The more we things we give thanks for to God, the more we find we have things to be grateful for. A grateful heart is the will of God because it keeps our eyes fixed on Him no matter the situation. What can you do starting today to incorporate this spiritual discipline into your life? How will you be held accountable to be like the one leper who returned to give thanks? Don’t let this be just another season of giving thanks. Use it to begin a lifestyle of gratitude.
McDonald’s exponentially increased their sales and revenues by teaching their employees to ask one simple question. Would you like fries with that? When combo meals became a thing, they then asked, “Would you like to supersize that?” These questions were so successful that companies across industries try to replicate it. Almost everyone said yes to them. It works so well because it preys on our inability to be satisfied or content. People didn’t question the cost of fries or however much a supersize was. They considered it insignificant in exchange for getting more. Learning to be content is something we each need to work on.
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul explained the value of knowing jesus and how important it is in comparison to the things the world values. In chapter 3, he then goes on to say that he’s a work in progress like we all are. In the next chapter he thanks them for their concern for him. Then in verse 11-12 he tells them to secret to life. He wrote, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (NLT). We too must learn to be content and to fight the constant need for more. When we learn to be content, gratitude begins to grow in our lives.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul wrote, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” When we have an attitude of gratitude in ever circumstance we’re in, our perspective changes. Finding things to be grateful for in hard times and learning to be content whether we have a little or a lot reveal our level of trust in God. Do you really believe He is all you need? Do you believe He is your provider? We learn to be content and grateful when we learn to value what God offers is worth more than anything in this world. Not only are there spiritual benefits, but there are psychological benefits as well when we learn these two things. When we’re content and grateful, we’re saying that God has given us what we need and we aren’t lacking anything. Happiness isn’t found in having more things. It’s found in having an attitude of gratitude and contentment.
When is the last time that you stopped what you were doing and truly thanked God for all he’s done for you? In I Thessalonians 5:18, it tells us that no matter what your circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks. Even if nothing seems to be going your way right now, there is reason to give thanks.
Having a thankful heart is a mindset that you have to create. We are not naturally thankful creatures. You need to practice being thankful with others and with God. When you truly make being thankful a part of your life, you will find that your attitude, your outlook and your perspective will change for the better.
Here are some reasons I have found to give thanks.
1. For salvation
Each of us should be eternally grateful for what Jesus did on the cross for us. There is nothing that we could ever do to earn our way to Heaven. It is only because God loved us so much that He sent His son to die for our sins that we have that ability. I don’t have to spend my life hoping and trying to be good enough one day. The price for my sin was paid for by Jesus.
I love how 2 Corinthians 9:15 says it: “Now thanks be to God for His gift, precious beyond telling, His indescribable, inexpressible, free gift!” We have a very good reason to be thankful today. You do not have to spend eternity separated from God if receive His son into your life.
2. For God’s faithfulness
I’m thankful every day that God’s faithfulness doesn’t rely on my own faithfulness. 2 Timothy says that even if we are faithless or are untrue to Him, He remains faithful and true because He cannot deny Himself. What God has promised He will do, He will do no matter what.
One of my favorite promises in scripture is found in Philippians 4:19. I remind myself of this scripture when things aren’t going my way. It says that God will supply all of my needs according to His riches. I often want Him to supply all of my wants, but He has promised to take care of my needs. I have air in my lungs, a place to sleep and food to eat. That is something to be thankful for.
3. For what He has done
How many times have we prayed and asked God for something and He’s done it? Too many to count I’m sure. I often thank Him for the big things when He does them, but what about the little things? Have we thanked Him for a good night’s sleep, help on a test, safe travels or for food to eat? We constantly petition God in prayer and rarely thank Him.
When He healed the 10 lepers in Luke 17, only one came back to thank Him. Jesus asked him where the other 9 were. How was it that only one came back for something as big as a life giving healing? I want to live my life like that one who came back and worshipped Him and thanked Him.
I know it’s hard to do sometimes. I’ve been at points in my life where it seemed I had nothing to be thankful for. The truth is that I had a lot to be thankful for, but I wasn’t looking for it. Wherever you are today, stop and give thanks to God. You will find that it will change you when you live with a grateful heart.
What is something you’re thankful for today?
Thanks to Adam Winger @awcreativeut for making this photo available freely on Unsplash
Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.
Growing up, my parents would let me have any shoe I wanted as long as it was less than $25. That was fine for a while, but then I arrived in junior high and Nike introduced the Air Jordan line up. My friends and neighbors got them, but I couldn’t. They were $100, which was considerably more than my $25 limit. I wanted them so badly that I began to put pictures of them in my binders, drew them in my books and had posters on my wall. I thought they were the coolest shoe ever. My parents were teaching me a couple of lessons. The first was to be thankful for what you have even if it’s not what you want. The second was that if you want something more than what you have, save up your money to get it. That created more value in those shoes than if they had been given to me.
In Philippians 4:11, Paul wrote, “For I have learned to be satisfied with what I have” (GNT). That’s a lesson we could all learn. He’s not saying that we shouldn’t ever want more than we have. It’s that we need to learn to be satisfied with what we do have. If we’re constantly looking for something else or wanting more, we will miss the lesson of contentment and fail to be appreciative of what God has given us. When we don’t appreciate something, we don’t value it. If we don’t value it, we take it for granted. God blesses us daily with good things that we look right past because we already want more than the daily bread He’s given us. Paul’s next verse said that whether he had a little or a lot, the secret to life was learning to be content and satisfied.
Ecclesiastes 6:9 put it this way, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” What blessings have you been overlooking? What are some things you get, but are never enough? A lack of satisfaction or contentment can be an outward expression of an inward brokenness. Once you’ve identified the outward expression, trace it to its roots. Ask God to bring healing to that area and to help you learn to be content with the things you have, whether a little or a lot. Once that change happens in you, the lens that you look at life through will change, and your prayers will too. Start changing them today by thanking Him for the many things He’s already blessed you with instead of asking Him for all the things you don’t have.
Years ago I learned the Law of Thanksgiving. It simply states that the more you give thanks, the more you have to give thanks for. Think about that for a second. When’s the last time you were thankful for something? So far 2020 has been a crazy year. I see a ton of people complaining about it and wondering what’s next. We can be thankful that World War 3 didn’t happen, that COVID-19 didn’t kill the percentages that we were told it would, we got to spend some time at home with our family and we’re learning to have some long overdue conversations. I’m not minimizing the seriousness or impact any of the events that have happened so far this year, but there are reasons to give thanks in all of them.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus” (TPT). No matter what’s going on in your life, there’s a way and a reason to give thanks. In my darkest days, I learned to thank God that I didn’t have things as badly as someone else had it. It took a conscious effort to change my mind from, “I don’t think Job had it this bad” to “God, I realize things could be a lot worse in my life. Thank you that it’s not.” The more I began to change how I saw my situation and found reasons to be thankful, the less bitter I became. I believe it shortened the long term negative impact it could have had on my life.
Psalm 107 is a great chapter to teach thankfulness. I recommend reading the whole chapter, but today I want to share verses 8-9. They say, “So lift your hands and thank God for his marvelous kindness and for all his miracles of mercy for those he loves. How he satisfies the souls of thirsty ones and fills the hungry with all that is good!” To cultivate a thankful heart, you can’t just keep your thanks inside. You need to share it. Even though it’s not November as I write this, try thinking of one thing each day that you are thankful for and share that with others. Try doing that for 30 days or even longer. You will find that your outlook on life will change and that suddenly you will have a lot to be thankful for.
Several years ago, I taught a sales psychology class. It was designed to help salespeople stay mentally tough because they’re rejected so often. One of the things I taught in it was the Law of Thanksgiving. It stated that the more we give thanks, the more we have to be thankful for. It was all about counting your blessings and then giving thanks for every one of them. It really is an attitude changer when you decide to be thankful each day to find something in your life to be thankful for. The first couple of weeks are pretty easy, but after that, your mind starts to get stretched and gets creative in looking for things to be thankful for. It ultimately changes your perspective on your life and changes how you look at the world.
In a time where the news is dominated by statistics of people getting sick and dying, it’s a great time to reprogram your mind to looking for things to be grateful for. Matthew Henry, a Welsh minister in the 1600’s, demonstrated this line of thinking when his wallet was stolen. He said, “I am thankful that he never robbed me before. I am thankful that although he took my wallet, he didn’t take my life. Although he took all I had, it wasn’t much. I am glad that it was I who was robbed, and not I who did the robbing.” He had adopted a mindset of being thankful and it changed his perspective on things that happened to him. It’s a mindset that we all should have, and I believe it starts with reminding ourselves that all we have has been given to us by God. He is who we need to be thankful to.
Psalm 16:5 says, “You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands” (GNT). It’s important that we start with the thought that God is your source of everything and and that everything you have belongs to Him. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes,” is how Job put it. Being mindful of this helps keep our minds right when the future is uncertain and fear wants to creep in. He has and will continue to give you all you need. Your future is in His hands, not yours. Following the Law of Thanksgiving is a great way to remember that and to give thanks where it’s due. It will allow you to worship during calamity and to be content whether you have a little or a lot. It’s the mindset I believe God is calling us all back to.
As Paul is wrapping up his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, he quits expounding on things and starts rapid firing commands. Pray for and honor your spiritual leaders. Be joyful always. Test all things. Avoid evil. He puts one right in the middle that to me is one of the hardest commands. He says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT). What? How can I be thankful in all circumstances? Why doesn’t he expound on this and tell us how? I’ve wrestled with these questions and this verse my whole life.
As I was pondering this recently, I remembered the words of a British Bible scholar from the 1600’s, Matthew Henry, when someone stole his wallet. He said, “Let me be thankful, first, because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.“ Wow! That’s someone who chose to be thankful in all circumstances. He understood that you don’t have to be thankful for your circumstances, but you can find ways to be thankful in them.
It comes down to a matter of our heart. Are we choosing to blame God for our problems or are we finding ways to be thankful despite them? God’s desire for each of us is to learn thankfulness because it changes our perspective. When circumstances arise in our life, we can choose to become bitter or better. That outcome is dependent on what we focus on when we don’t like our present situation. Choosing to be thankful in all circumstances is definitely the more difficult choice, but it produces much better results in our life.
Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other writing ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 