In your life learn to give thanks to the Lord for the life He has given you and all He has done for you. There are so many things that you prayed for and asked the Lord to do for you which have happened throughout your life, and when you reflect on them you most certainly cannot go without thanking God for them.
A good example of thanksgiving is in Luke 17:11-19, where Jesus healed ten lepers after they cried out to Him saying, “Jesus, Master, pity us!”. Jesus did not even lay hands on them, or ask them to do anything spectacular. All He asked them to do was to go and show themselves to the priests. They believed and went their way. The word of God says, “When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”And as they went, they were cleansed. On of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.” Luke 17: 14-16 NIV
This has happened to you when you prayed about one thing or another. Jesus did it for you, and as you went about your day-to-day life, you eventually saw that something had changed. The question is, did you return to God and praise Him for it? God does so many things for us, but often-times we fail to thank Him for those things.
Imagine if you gifted someone something and they did not thank you for it how would you feel? The same way you feel when someone thanks you is how God feels about you when you thank Him. Have you realised that God has done so much for you? Even after praying for it some time ago, thank God for that answered prayer. Just like the Leper who saw and realised that he had been healed, you can also realise what God has done for you. Go before the Lord throw yourself at His feet and thank Him.
Thanksgiving is your act of worship and praise to the LordIn thanksgiving, you are giving something special to the LordSome benefits of Thanksgiving for you to rememberThree ways you can give thanks to the Lord right now
Thanksgiving is your act of worship and praise to the Lord
Thanksgiving is important to God because it motivates Him to do more for you, even for the things that you did not ask for yet. There were 10 lepers and only one came back and thanked Him. This is an example of many lives depicted here. We pray to God, and He answers but we don’t return to praise Him, even for the most simple things that we take for granted. Many times we think that if we don’t see the answers immediately God has not heard or answered us. Notice that the lepers saw as they were on their way. They did not see it whilst they were with Jesus, at that moment of requesting for help.
Regardless of how long it took to be answered and to see the healing, that one who returned to Jesus received a greater reward than the ones who did not. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”, Luke 17: 17-19
Apart from being cured of leprosy, He was made well in other areas of His life. Thanksgiving is a form of praise to God. It motivates God to speak to you about more things than what you desired in the first place. Back in those days lepers never mingled with the public they were ostracized, but the thankful leper got an opportunity to meet Jesus face to face. When you give thanks you have a face-to-face moment with God, because in that moment it is an act of worship. It is an act of faith to turn to God and thank Him.
Also, when you give thanks to the Lord always you do not only thank Him for the things that you have received and seen. You need to thank God even for the things that have not happened yet, Romans 4:17. That is why thanksgiving is an act of faith. You are believing God for something, you have prayed about it, and it is yet to happen, now all you have to do is to begin to praise God for it and thank Him. This is how you have what you believe, Mark 11:24.
It is not only in prayer that we receive when we believe. You can also receive through an act of thanksgiving. Rather than becoming angry, resentful, or worried about that situation, thank God as though you already have it. In God you have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness, you are not trying to attain it, but you are simply receiving it from the Lord. He always wants you to enjoy the blessings that you have in Christ, because “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 NIV
So what do you do when you have seen what you have believed God to do for you? Remember that believing is also important because the lepers believed what He said and went their way after requesting from Jesus. And as they went about their business, one realised they were cleansed. In Philippians, the Apostle Paul taught us a secret that helps us to be at peace about things yet to manifest. The very thing you desire God to do for you, that gives you anxiety.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
When you do this God will work in you. If you believe in Jesus as the lepers did, then you have the power and authority to cause changes in your life. If they did not believe in Jesus, they would not have heard and acted on what Jesus said, because they would have been distracted and worried about their condition. Worry, anxiety, anger and other emotions stop you from acting or hearing what God wants to say about the situation. When you act on the secret Paul was sharing above the peace of God will calm you over that situation and make it possible for God to get through to you, and give you an idea, a strategy, or a motion you have to take to produce the results you want to see.
In John 15:5 it says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” What can you do without Him? Nothing because with Jesus we can achieve more than without Him, because Jesus Christ in you is God in you, working out all things for your good. Remaining connected to Jesus Christ, helps you produce fruits. Without Jesus, we cannot be fruitful, because we are fruit bearers and produce good fruit from our spirits. Pray and give thanks to the lord always, for the answered and unanswered desires, and your thanksgiving will produce peace and so much more.
In thanksgiving, you are giving something special to the Lord
Thanksgiving motivates us to give one thing or another to God. It could be praise from our lips, an offering, or by prayer. Trust in the Lord always, and practice a culture of intimating with Him in thanksgiving. He is not like humanity who can sometimes be unreliable. God is more reliable than most people you can think of, even the people you love the most. In Psalm 46:1 the psalmist in the scripture assures us that no matter what circumstances we go through God is ready to hear us. He always has answers for each one of us.
Whatever situation looks impossible for you, start to give thanks for its change. Thanksgiving is a secret to fast blessings because God wants us to call things that are not as though they are. So when you give thanks for things yet to come, it’s an act of faith, because like the lepers you are showing God that you believe. Right now it may look impossible but with God all things are possible, Matthew 19:26.
God always has something for you, all you have to do now is show Him that you believe. At Jesus’ word, the lepers went to the priests and were healed of the leprosy. Our Lord Jesus is an all-possibilities master. When you focus on Jesus Christ, author and perfector of our faith, things will also be perfected in Your life. Remember what Jesus said to the leper who thanked and praised God for his miracle, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” He was perfected with total wellness.
Another way to think of giving thanks to God in all situations is to be conscious of who your helper in life is. Psalm 121:2-3 says, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” When you know where your help for your family, work, business, ministry, child, health, and relationships comes from, you come to God, and make petitions and thanksgiving to him.
Whether things are good or bad, in any situation, he is always available and always ready for you at any time. He doesn’t sleep He waits for you, always ready to receive you. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, God wants us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
In everything, not in some things. Whether you are in pain, if you feel you don’t have to, give thanks. Whether you are feeling healthy, if you feel like it or don’t feel like it give thanks to God. As you do this, keep in mind that God is a gift giver. He does not hold any faults against you, James 1:17.
Some benefits of Thanksgiving for you to remember
1. You fulfil God’s will as you do, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
2. It brings you closer to God, Colossians 3:15.
3. Thanksgiving makes you humble and keeps us humble before the Lord, Luke 17:18-19.
4. It helps you to stay positive in life, Romans 12:12.
5. It gives you peace and changes your attitude towards situations Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15.
6. It gives you Joy always, Colossians 1:12.
7. You are surrendering yourself, and celebrating what God has done and what he is yet to do, Hebrews 11:6.
8. It defeats Satan’s lies from your mind, Jesus is the prince of peace, and satan is the father of lies.
Three ways you can give thanks to the Lord right now
1. Prayer to God2. Praise from lips to God3. Through offering to God
Give thanks to the Lord always!
