"For in every thing give thanks, for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Last night was the coldest night of the year. We brought out the extra blankets and made sure we left the water running to keep the pipes from freezing. While my family and I snuggled in our warm little home, an icy wind howled outside. I thought of the uncountable number of blessings that God bestows upon His children. On a night when the wind sliced through jackets like a knife, I thought of those who had no warm shelter. During our dinner, I thought of those who are hungry. As the heat ran, I thought of those who had no heat.
If we open our eyes, we will realize how many things we do have to be thankful for. So many times we make the mistake of asking The Father for more and more things, and we ungratefully forget to thank Him for all that He has already done for us. Remember the ten lepers Jesus healed? Ninety percent of them made the same mistake that most of us modern believers make today. They forgot to show the Messiah appreciation for good things He gave them.
A Christian should not have to be reminded to show gratitude for the blessings The Lord gives us. Our Holy Bible instructs us that thankfulness should not be something we show from time to time, but the spirit of thankfulness should flow constantly and continuously from a believer.
The Psalmist tells us to give thanks to our Father whose love for us endures forever. In Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells us to praise the King of Kings for the awesome gift of salvation. If we do not feel led to show thankfulness for that, then we need to look deep into our hearts and find out what is wrong. In Ephesians, we are instructed to give thanks for everything the Our Creator has done for us.
For a believer, the spirit of thankfulness should flow from us naturally. It should be as automatic as breathing. In so many ways we have been outrageously blessed. We should remember that all good things come from Our Master and practice an attitude of gratitude in our quiet time and prayer life.
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis