IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  

I Thessalonians 5:18

Thanksgiving can be careless or a deeply rewarding event. It all depends on what we make of it. Tables across the country will be set for the celebration of Thanksgiving.  Words and prayers of thanksgiving will be offered.  We are grateful for our abundant food, good health, our homes and our children.  It is so easy to give thanks when life is smooth, and everything is going our way.  In fact, in such times we find it easy to thank God for all He has done for us.

We, His children, have an abundance of blessings bestowed on us for which we must be thankful. Consider some of the many blessings:

• Family.
• Good health.
• The freedom to worship God.
• The Gospel of Christ.
• Our redemption.
• The hope of eternal life.
• The freedom to home educate our children.
• Air to breathe.
• Water to drink.
• Food to eat.
• The everlasting Word of God.
• And most of all our Lord and Savior:
• Who redeemed us.
• Who cares for us.
• Who sympathizes with our weaknesses.
• And who has sworn never to forsake us.  

If you have any of these many blessings, then you are more than rich.

“The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich; And he addeth no sorrow therewith.”  
Proverbs 10:22.

We must also be thankful for His Son, who gives us victory.

“Who can separate us from the love of Christ?  Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.  ”Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Even as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”  
Romans 8:35-37

Being grateful is the key to spiritual victory.  Joy is the result of a grateful heart. A thankful heart is the product of a person who chooses always to give thanks no matter what the circumstances.  It is the person who never compares himself to other people but always to Christ.  It is the heart that realizes he is rich beyond measure because he is a child of God and that in Him he finds His portion. It is the heart that is always looking for reasons to be content and give thanks.

Therefore, we must learn to appreciate and be thankful for God's loving kindness.  Notice what David once said:

"Blessed be the Lord, For He has made marvelous His loving kindness to me in a besieged city."  Psalm 31:21

There is nothing more critical than finding oneself in a besieged city.  It is as bad as one's circumstances can get.  Yet David acknowledges God's loving kindness toward him.  God heard his crying prayer for deliverance.  He made David aware of His love and kindness for him.

• Are we aware or do we acknowledge God's loving kindness toward us?  
• Can we fathom the depth of His love for us?  
• Have we forgotten Romans 8:38-39?  

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Sadly, many become anxious when things are tough, and life is difficult.  They lose heart and become discouraged.  In those dark moments, they find it hard to understand the purpose of our trials. They become anxious about the unknown.  They are overwhelmed!  Despair is the opposite of true THANKSGIVING.  When our affections are on earthly things and not on God, we are in danger.  We tend to cling to our immediate circumstances rather than to God.  Only God can fill our hearts with His peace.   It makes us not only anxious but also insecure.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men.  The Lord is near."  Philippians 4:5-6

We must always remember that God is in control.  God is already in the future because He stands outside of time.  Let's never forget His beautiful and faithful promises we find in Matthew 6:28-34:  

"And why are you anxious....Do not be anxious then, saying, what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or with what shall we clothe our selves?  For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you..."

Our God wants us to live in His peace.

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7.  

He doesn't want us to become weary and anxious.  He wants us to let go of the bondage of anxiety. It doesn't mean that we will escape feeling sorrow or stress, but we will find a satisfying deep calm in our hearts.   Such tranquility can only come from trusting God with all of our hearts.  We must always have the disposition to give thanks to God no matter what our circumstances are.  YES, we must have a heart of thanksgiving even in death, in life, in sickness, in health, in abundance and poverty.  This is what God wants and expects of us. He wants grateful hearts!

Let's consider what Paul tells us:  

"The things you have learned and received  and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you."  Philippians 4:9.  

Paul makes us aware that it takes practice to accomplish and achieve this peace.   We must dwell in His Truth and guard it in our hearts to have this peace.  A muscle is strengthened with a lot of exercise.  In the same way, our spiritual strength is developed by a lot of practice enabling us to defeat anxiety.  We cannot let Satan lie to our minds and emotions.  This surely will drive us crazy!  We can't afford to walk his pathway of lies and anxiety.   Anxiety is just that—a great, big lie.

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened."  Romans 1:21.

Let's remember that our God is not a God of chaos and anxiety.

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."  2 Timothy 1:7.  

Anxiety is not of God but rather the work of Satan. He, Satan, uses this as a weapon against us; to distract us from the PEACE of God. The only way to defeat him is by dwelling in God's Truth, fixing our eyes on Him.  Dwelling in lies, trusting that we are in control and not God, is of Satan.  We must always know that God holds us in His hands; and that He is the author of time; that we are here temporarily; and that He has control over everything.  So, my question is, What is there to become anxious about?

What did Jesus do before He went to the cross?  Let's read I Corinthians 11:24.  

"And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, this is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  

It was just hours away from His painful death on the cross.  Jesus gave thanks!   We have so much to give thanks for:  not so much for material riches, but mainly for God's love for us in sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins so that through Him we could be redeemed and have access to eternal life.  Let's never take for granted God's immeasurable grace.   So, when you find yourself discouraged, remember always that we have all we need in Christ.  He is the fullness that fills all in all.  Why not take a moment to give thanks?

"Saying, Amen, blessings and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever, Amen."  Revelation 7:12.

May our Lord help us to give thanks always no matter what our circumstances are.  May we live in His peace trusting in Him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls.  May we keep calm and know that He cares for us.  May we never forget that He is near.  To Him be the glory.

Luci