In Everything Give Thanks

-November 27, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday,

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Giving thanks to God is not just a suggestion, it is a commandment. Thanksgiving should be as natural for the believer as breathing. The difference is breathing happens without us even thinking about it; giving takes both thought and action.

The definition of a thanker in the Collin’s Dictionary is, “a person who thanks or expresses gratitude.” Are you an occasional thanker or a habitual one? I found another word I really like: thankaholic. It means, “a person who has developed a proclivity for thanking somebody every time something is done for him, however minor it may be.” I want to be a thankaholic!

A few months ago we had a series of devotions on habits. Giving thanks to God in everything is definitely a good habit we must build and develop, which must spring from a thankful heart.

Today’s verse is an excellent one to memorize, and an even better one to obey and practice daily. It doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy. Sometimes we don’t feel very thankful when dark clouds overshadow our lives, when we are beset by pain, problems, and perplexities.

Giving thanks to the Lord keeps us grounded in Christ, reminding us of what God has done for us, and that He is in control. Giving thanks is not based on feelings, otherwise, our thanksgiving, like our happiness, would be sporadic at best. It is rather connected with the joy that we have in Christ, which never changes.

Giving thanks is clearly the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. Therefore we can never thank the Lord too much or too often. As we ready ourselves for our Thanksgiving Day’s feasts and festivities, let us stop for a moment and thank God for all His blessings which He has lavished upon us.

Have a blessed pre-Thanksgiving day thanking the Lord in everything. Stay safe and healthy.

Not just thanking God once a year, but many times a day.

Dean