We often do not consider the great power we have available to us through the practice and discipline of thankfulness. It is through the act of being thankful that we point our eyes and our hearts towards the great and merciful Father in heaven. It is in our thankfulness that we can draw near to Him.
Thank Him when you see the good and trust Him even when you don’t. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4).
You couldn’t count all your blessings if you tried. “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).
Thankfulness is not just a feeling but an attitude. Sometimes we might feel thankful, but we can always choose to have an attitude of thankfulness. When we choose to be thankful, we will benefit from the power that it will have in our life and then to the lives around us.
Do you want to know God’s will is for you? “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
It is not enough to know God, but you must also be thankful to Him. “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
Sometimes I will be discontent because of things or abilities that I do not have. Envy towards others will rob me of the joy for what I have. When this happens, I start to thank the Lord for all He has given to me. Thankfulness keeps our eyes on all the provisions God has given to us.
The secret to being content with what you have is being thankful for what you have. “Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him…” (James 1:17 ERV).
Your happiness depends upon the thankfulness for those things you have, and the lack of bitterness for those things you do not have. “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking…and always be thankful” (Colossians 3:15 ERV).
Sometimes I will be filled with sadness or worry. It seems that even my thoughts are at work against me. Anxiousness is an emotion from which it feels like there is no way out. But there is a way out. Thankfulness is looking up instead of looking down.
You never have to worry about those things you have given to the Lord. “Keep persisting in prayer, staying alert in it and being thankful.” (Colossians 4:2 CJB).
Give the Lord your anxiousness and He will give you His peace. Stop negotiating for a better deal, for there is none better than this. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Sometimes I focus on how others treat me and I can become so angry. This creates an inward negativity that amplifies my feelings and drowns me in frustration. When this happens, I start to thank the Lord for how merciful He has treated me. Thankfulness refocuses our minds on how good God is to us.
Thankfulness is the doorway through which we can trade our bitterness for His joy. “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:4-5).
There is power in giving thanks because it removes the negativity from your life. “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15 ESV).
Sometimes I will be persistent in complaining no matter what comes my way. It seems as if I am walking under a dark cloud no matter where I am at. Thankfulness is the light that can remove the darkness that surrounds us. When we declare things we are thankful for, it removes all that we would complain about.
Just as the Lord inhabits our praises, the devil makes his camp in our complaints. “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3 KJV).
When your thankful you’re looking up and when your unthankful you’re looking down. When you’re thankful you’re recognizing all God does for you and when you’re unthankful you’re blaming Him for anything He hasn’t done.
Every complaint you make is leveled directly at God. You are telling Him that He is to blame. “…Your complaints are not against [men] but against the LORD” (Exodus 16:8).
When you’re thankful you recognize that God can do anything and when you’re unthankful you question whether His is right. The reason prayers are more powerful with thankfulness is because our hearts are right with God in our prayers. When we are unthankful towards God we are in no position to ask for anything.
Praying and thankfulness are a potent combination for a warrior in the kingdom. “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
Unless otherwise denoted, all translations are NKJV.
Lots of great points about the power of repentant thanksgiving but it certainly doesn’t remove negativity. I(think you mean/refer to our self pity filter- at least for a few hours if not days.)
Entering His gates with thanksgiving is no guarantee we will pray perfectly content prayers, even as we strive to be self correcting by the sword of the Spirit kept sharp.
The psalmist pours out his complaint to God, as did Job. God answers (us&them) kindly & firmly as He keeps His side of His invite, to “Come let us reason together”, but will not hear if we regard iniquity in our heart (act permissive/tolerant toward our sin). Justifying our negative feelings and not giving thanks makes us unclean & unworthy & requires mind renewal time you explain from experience so well.
Only two points I found were expressed in an extreme way that did not resonate with my spirit. Thanks for humble sharing with challenges for truth in the inmost being that can lead to big spiritual breakthroughs. Blessings, brother Paul.
Thank you for your viewpoints, Tanis. I appreciate and welcome different views on what I write. This particular blog is very special to me as I have witnessed firsthand on how powerful developing a spirit of thankfulness can impact my life. My prayer is that it will stir up others to seek and find the same benefits for their life. Blessings to you my sister.
Dear Paul thank you for this exhortation it has been a great blessing. I like what you wrote, when you’re thankful you are looking above, what that means to me is that we don’t look at the circumstances but we look to God piu Provider. Whe we look down we have lost our focus. Thank you once again.
Angela
Thank you so much, Angela. I am so optimistic that we can gain so much through being thankful.
“Thankfulness is not just a feeling but an attitude”. That is so great Paul when I was young leaving with my grand she used to beat us if she gave you something and u did not thank her I grew up with that culture of being thankful and when I accepted Jesus It has been a culture to me to thank Him in every situation no matter how the storms are high or low will always thank Him. And I want to thank Him for using you Paul write these great posts they have been a guiding tool to me may God continue protecting you and your family through this Pandemic and may Continue using you.
What a great lesson you learned from your grand. Thankfulness is more than a feeling, it is a choice. Many have not reached the place to make this choice, and so do not yet believe in the value or reality of what it can bring. Thank you so much for your kind words to me. I am truly blessed to know you and thankful for all you do for the kingdom. May God use you in mighty ways!
This line: “Thankfulness refocuses our minds on how good God is to us.” is the cure for my present condition. I have been on an emotional roller coaster the last few weeks with all that’s going on in the world right now and I have consistently landed at sadness due to a feeling of hopelessness. This post has served as a reminder of God’s goodness even in the midst of this pandemic and unrest and from the bottom of my heart I am truly grateful for that. Thank you for a well-written post and much needed gentle reminder.
Oh, I am so thankful, this is exactly what I was hoping for. This is a wonderful way to turn our minds and our hearts back towards heaven. And once we do, our lives are changed and we can be a ray of light to those around us.
Paul I love these words “thankfulness is the light that can remove the darkness that surrounds us..” a grateful heart is vital. Well written and thank you. You are a blessing to the body of Christ
Thank you so much Vee, your kindness is a blessing to me! I think there is so much more to be had by having a spirit of thankfulness, if only the Christian would take hold of it!
GOD bless you beloved for your approach to the Word of God. It blessed my heart so good
Thank you so much!