Why Should We Be Thankful?

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thanksgiving is around the corner and you are probably thinking what do I have to be grateful for. Maybe you are having a really hard time right now. Maybe you've had a hard year so far. Maybe you're feeling kind of blah about your life. Whatever it might be, you're thinking what do I have to be grateful for? Here are some bible verses, stories, and thoughts from God's Word and you will see that there are reasons to say "Thank you God!"

Always Give Thanks!

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

When bad things happen to me, my first reaction is to be upset, not to be joyful. When I'm hurt I don't feel like giving thanks to God. Many times instead what I do say is "God if you really loved me, this wouldn't be happening."

But then I look at all the ways God has blessed me. God gives me great, amazing gifts all the time and I many times forget to say "thank you." The very fact that I can get up every morning with life is something to be thankful for. However, many times we focus more on our problems, on what we don't have (and many times we really don't need we just want it) than on the blessings. Let's focus more on the blessings and be thankful!

What about you?

1. Think back to a time when something bad happened. What were your prayers like then?
2. Start a list of the ways God has been good to you. Whenever you think of another reason to be thankful, add it to the list.
3. Offer God a prayer pure of thanksgiving, with no requests in it.  

No Complaints!

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border of Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priest." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was cleaned, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him - and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:11-18.

Now Samaritans were despised/hated by the Jews, yet a Samaritan was the only one that came back to give thanks for the healing.  He was a foreigner. 

Sometimes we are not in our comfort zone and we complain, but we shouldn't. Sometimes we don't like where we are at because we feel uncomfortable, like we don't belong, especially when you do mission trips. The housing is different, food, etc and you begin to complain. But just as in the above story the Samaritan who had been healed, who was the foreigner and despised, he could have made excuses why not to give thanks, but he didn't. He went back, the only one that went back, and gave thanks! We too, no matter what the circumstances, we should take the time to say thank you to God.

What about you?

1. How do you feel when someone forgets to tell you thank you something nice you did? How do you think your parents, grandparents, teachers,  or friends feel if you forget to thank them? How do you think God feels when you forget to thank Him?
2. Purchase a package of thank you cards and write out short notes of appreciation and gratitude to several people. Send cards until they are all gone - not only during Thanksgiving but year round we should be thankful and we should try to practice is.
3. Ask God to be a more grateful person.

Thank you for Me!

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalms 139:13-14

Have a great and safe Thanksgiving! Remember, give God a pure prayer of thanks without asking for anything, just thanking Him for everything. Think about everything, even the smallest thing that you might think is insignificant - thank Him.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!