As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, many will begin to proclaim what they are thankful for. The sad thing is, it seems to take a holiday for us to think about thankfulness. I too fall into the trap of thinking and meditating on the things I am thankful for during this time. Yet, that is not God’s design for thankfulness. In Colossians 3:15, we are to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and be thankful. Could it be we don’t consistently show thankfulness because the peace of Christ does not rule our hearts? To rule means to preside, to be ever-present. It should be the controlling factor of a Christian. In the hurry-up, demanding world we live in, it is very easy to let the pressures of this world snuff out the peace that should rule our hearts. When that happens thankfulness will become a word with no substance to express itself.
Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
If we would allow thankfulness to guide us, it would also promote harmony and peace in all our relationships. When thankfulness is not our guide, ungratefulness tends to increase our dissatisfaction with people, things, and with God. When we are ungrateful, we are telling God that what He has done for us is not enough. It is the quickest way to start on the path away from God.
In the Old Testament giving thanks was a common theme of worship. In I Chronicles 16:8, they were to give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, and let others know all the good He had done for them. In I Chronicles 16:34, they were to give thanks for God’s goodness. They were praising Him and thanking Him for His goodness that would last forever. Over and over they were told to give thanks, praise God, and let everyone know how good their God is.
Their testimony of thankfulness was a testimony to their God. I wonder what people think about our God when we grumble and complain? Are we telling them that our God is not big enough to handle our problems? Is He not able to meet our needs? What do our attitudes, actions, and words, teach others about our God?
In Psalms, we see that giving thanks is a major part of worship. Psalm 30:4 tells us to sing to the Lord and give thanks to His holy name. Psalm 30:12 says we are to give thanks forever! In Psalm 33:2, we are to give thanks as we play our instruments. Psalm 44:8 tells us to boast about our God and give thanks.
Psalm 30:4 “Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.”
Psalm 30:12 “that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”
Psalm 33:2 “Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!”
Psalm 44:8 “In God, we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.”
In Psalm 54:6, we are to give thanks when we give an offering. How many times have you placed money in an offering plate without even thanking God for the opportunity and the provision to give to Him? Is your giving an offering, just a “go through the motions” act, or do you truly worship and give thanks?
Psalm 54:6 “With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.”
True thanks, asserts itself outwardly. Our attitude will be different. Our actions toward others will be gracious and loving. We will not be able to contain how we feel about the goodness of our God. In Psalm 57:9, they were singing praise among the nations and giving thanks.
Psalm 57:9 “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.”
Giving thanks is not dependent on our circumstances. Paul was a great example of that. Many of his letters to the churches start with giving thanks to those he is writing to. Some of those letters were written while Paul was in prison. While any prison is a bad place to be, the prisons of biblical times would have been about as bad as you can imagine. There were no modern conveniences. It would have been more like a dungeon, than the prison cell we envision. Yet, Paul was very thankful in horrible circumstances. That’s because thankfulness is an attitude from the heart. It is not limited by what you have or do not have. I don’t know anyone who would say they are not thankful, but their actions speak of an ungrateful heart. In I Thessalonians 5:18, Paul instructs us to give thanks for everything! Yes, even the things we consider bad. God uses everything in our life to conform us to the image of His dear Son. He is always working on our behalf. We should be thankful for anything that draws us closer to God and makes us more like Jesus. Seek every day to have time to be thankful on purpose.
I Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
