Thanksgiving is a time when we come together with family to celebrate. When I was growing up, Thanksgiving was a fun occasion. My grandparents would come over to spend the day, and we would enjoy a nice meal that my mother cooked. Things were simpler back then, and I always felt excited when Thanksgiving came around. However, once my grandparents passed away, Thanksgiving became more somber and sad.
The somberness and sadness only increased after my mom passed away when I was a teen. There was a time when I didn't know what to be thankful for at Thanksgiving because I felt everything was falling apart around me. When these times show up in our lives, reflecting upon the Bible and turning to God in His Word is essential. God never intended for illnesses, sin, or death to occur in our lives, but they are now part of the world because of the fall of man (Genesis 3).
Sadly, we will never be set free of this curse until we are with the Lord in Heaven. For now, we must continue to pray to Him and study His Word. Trusting in Him will give us great encouragement, hope, and perseverance. With time, thankfulness will rise back into our hearts, and we will be able to fully understand why we are thankful.
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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1-3).
This Psalm tells us to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever. All the praise, thanks, and glory we offer up needs to be to God. Even if we feel as though we don't have anything to be thankful for, we can be thankful for God. He is the God of all gods and the Lord of all lords.
The Lord’s love endures forever, one of the thousands of reasons we should praise Him. Even though we will mess up and fall, His love for us will never change (Romans 8:37-38). While we were still sinners, God loved us and sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). At this Thanksgiving celebration, we need to remember the Lord’s love and allow it to fill our hearts with thankfulness.
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“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
As the Apostle Paul says here, we need to give thanks in all circumstances because this is God’s will for us in Jesus Christ. This means that regardless of what we are going through, we can give thanks. Maybe we are going through a rough patch at work, or a loved one has passed away. Despite these obstacles, we can still give thanks to God.
We can thank God because He is good and helps us with all these struggles. Whether we are facing pain, heartache, or the death of a loved one, God is with us (Psalm 23:1-6). He will be with us through all things and comfort us (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). May we all lift up His Name in praise and thanks today.
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“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
This is another teaching on thankfulness from Paul. In this section of Scripture, He tells us that whatever we do, we need to do it all in the Name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. This means that regardless of what we are doing, whether in word or deed, we need to glorify God through it and give thanks to Him. Although this can be difficult, especially if we are going through a hard time, it is not impossible.
Whenever we struggle with thankfulness, we need to ask the Lord for His help. A simple, “Lord, help me to be thankful,” is more than enough. God hears all of your prayers. They don't have to be elaborate or said with fancy theological terms. God loves you and will help bring your heart to a state of inner calmness, peace, and thankfulness.
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“Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5).
This Psalm highlights the importance of entering God’s gates and courts with Thanksgiving and praise. We are to thank God and praise His Name as He is good, His love endures forever, and His faithfulness continues through all generations. With this in mind, we will never be lacking in thankfulness. Our entire souls will lift the Lord in praise and thanks. By looking around us and entering His gates and courts with thanks, we will see all the goodness of the Lord around us.
Reflect back on your life and notice all that the Lord has done for you. He has been caring, loving, and compassionate through every season of life. There are things He has done for us that we probably will never know about on this side of Heaven. God is always at work, and He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28). Give Him thanks and take solace in His love.
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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
The Apostle Paul gives us wise words in this passage of Scripture. Rather than being anxious, we must pray, petition, and practice thankfulness as we bring our requests to God. Leave all of your anxiety and fear at the foot of the cross. The Lord will help you as you are struggling and give you the peace you need. This alone can help you find yourself in a state of great thankfulness. There is nothing too hard for the Lord.
Go to God today with a heart of thankfulness. Present your requests to Him and allow His grace to fill your heart. Although there might still be times when you struggle with thankfulness, God will help you remember what He has done for you and what He will continue to do for you. God is our greatest supporter and friend. At Thanksgiving this year, try to remember all the ways you are thankful for God.
In the same way, each day, go to Him in prayer with a heart of thankfulness. Give thanks and praise to Him at all times. God will hear all of your prayers and surround you with His love. Thanksgiving is a great time to remember this and have the focus of our hearts reset on God.
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