As Christians, we are asked to do more than simply express gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We are also to thank Him for all He is. We are told in 1 Chronicles 16:34, "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever."
It is beneficial to train our hearts to give thanks, as being thankful helps us give credit to those who deserve it and keeps us from being resentful, arrogant, or discouraged. Being thankful keeps us from allowing what we don't have to define our lives. It keeps us humble and reminds us of our utter dependence on God.
Every day, there are over a thousand reasons to praise God. The first thing you should do when you wake up from your sleep is to pray and thank God. We can easily lose sight of the blessings right in front of us if we don't.
How often do you praise Jesus Christ for saving you? Be happy with what you have. We have friends, family, food, clothes, water, jobs, a place to sleep at night, and the list goes on.
We sometimes act as though these things don't matter. We all want more or better, but someone has to sleep on the ground today. Some folks will go hungry. Some people will die without knowing the Lord. When you realize how genuinely privileged we are that a holy God would love despicable people like us and sacrifice His Son for us, we become more grateful. When we are grateful for everything He has done for us, we desire to love Him more, obey Him more, contribute more, pray more, sacrifice more, and share our faith more.
Take a break from the world and spend time alone with the Lord. Adore Him and thank Him for everything He has done for you. Pray that He should help you become more grateful for the things you take advantage of and ignore. And more importantly, ask Him to assist you in enjoying the little things in life.
We may feel as though we have nothing to be thankful for at times. But there are numerous reasons to thank God. Sometimes you simply have to start small and choose to be thankful. Starting small can assist you in developing habits and disciplines that will eventually improve your outlook and attitude. You might begin by being grateful for another day or the air you breathe.
Giving gratitude is not something that many people do because they believe there is nothing worth thanking God for in their lives. They tell themselves that thanking God is appropriate for those He has blessed but not for them. There is no one who does not have something to be thankful for. We can't give thanks when we can't think. A sensible individual will be grateful. After all, a grateful person complaining about not having shoes will stop and praise God when he sees another person missing a limb!
We are frequently ungrateful for God's kindness and numerous benefits in our life. We are so focused on what is to come that we neglect to notice what has already occurred.
We recall responses to prayers that have yet to be answered and forget answers to prayers that we are already enjoying. What ungrateful people we are! We frequently disregard God's command to give thanks. Ephesians 5:18-20 says, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...."
When people express gratitude to God, He is moved to perform a miracle. A thanksgiver releases God's great ability to work wonders.
Gratitude is a spiritual force that allows you to reach new heights. When you are a grateful, thankful Christian, God's Spirit is released, causing things to work as they should for you.
Every time you give real thanks, new oil for a new effect is poured on you. With constant thanksgiving, you never run out of resources. Psalms 89:20-24 says, "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted."
Also, note that thanking God glorifies his name: "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God" (Psalm 50:23).
Here are a few of the most important reasons we should be eternally grateful to God as Christians, among many other reasons:
1. For his mercy, love, and faithfulness
God not only saved us from our sins, but He also actively loves us every day. Lamentations 3:21-13 reminds us: "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope."
The Creator of the heavens and the earth adores us! Every dawn, He pours out new and unending mercies on us. He never takes his gaze away from us. He is dependable in blessing, guiding, assisting, and strengthening us.
His affection is unwavering. He never stops caring about us. He never turns his back on us. This gives us tremendous hope and ample reason to praise and thank the Lord.
2. For His abundant goodness and daily provision
Psalm 31:19 says, "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" God does not have a meager supply of goodness for us. He has an abundance of goodness in reserve. He has bags and bags of grace waiting to be poured out on us.
We can thank our heavenly Father for the tremendous goodness he has already bestowed upon us, and we can look forward to a future filled with gifts in paradise.
He also gives us each day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11); this is another daily blessing we receive from our Father in heaven. Jesus tells us in the "Lord's Prayer" to ask our heavenly Father to provide for us. Most people in this country have food on their tables every day. Every meal is a divine gift. Yet, how often do people pause to thank God for this daily miracle from heaven?
Let us always express gratitude to the Lord for our work and income, as well as the abundance of food and provision he has bestowed upon us.
3. For his numerous deliverances
God's deliverance in our lives is why you and I are still alive. If God had withheld His deliverance, the enemy would have annihilated us.
We owe God praise for His numerous deliverances. Psalm 18:48-50 says, "He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth him to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore."
God has been our Great Deliverer from the terrors of the night and the arrows that fly during the day. We should be grateful to Him for this (Psalm 91:5-8).
4. For God avenging your enemies
God is the adversary of those who oppose you. He will battle on your side and repay them for their wrongdoing. He does this because of your covenant relationship with Him. Psalm 79:12-13 encourages us by saying, "And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.”
Any attack against God's children is an indirect attack on God, and God will avenge them.
We must thank God because He is the One who repays our foes; He subdues the nations under us and rescues us from our adversaries (Psalm 18:47-48). He does not let our adversaries get away with their attacks on us.
5. For your salvation and the salvation of others
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 says, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
When was the last time you thanked God for your salvation, the salvation of your loved ones, and the salvation of others? Don't we take that for granted all the time? We rarely praise Him for this, instead complaining about what He has yet to do for us. We're more concerned about that promotion we've been hoping for, that top-tier job we've been praying for, that house we've been praying for money to buy, and so on.
Taking salvation for granted is a sin. Although salvation is free, Someone paid for it; Jesus paid for it with His own life.
He died on the cross as if He were a criminal, even though He never sinned. God deserves our thanks when sinners open their hearts to hear and receive God's Word. God is worthy of our praise when these sinners surrender their lives to Jesus.
Furthermore, we should thank God when these new believers continue to hold firm in their faith in the face of adversity (1 Thessalonians 3:7-10).
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