How to Give Thanks

I recently wrote about the need to give thanks in all circumstances (read that post here).

We saw from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 how we are to give thanks in all situations, whether good or bad, big or small.

The question, then, is:

“What does it mean to give thanks, and how do you do it?”

To give thanks means just what it says, to say thank you from a feeling of appreciation for what someone has done.

When we tell God thank you, it’s our way of letting Him know we see and appreciate Him and how He is working in our lives.

We are to be thankful for His sacrifice of Jesus, for the salvation it offers, and that this gift has provided a way for us to be rescued from ourselves and our sins.

We are to:

“give thanks to God because He is good and His love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 (NIV)

Not only is the above verse true, it’s so important that it or a verse very similar to it is repeated in the Scriptures several times!

If you’re not sure how to go about doing it, you can follow these steps to say thank you to God:

1-Humble your heart and realize that God does deserve to be thanked for what He has done, is doing, and will do.

2-From the deepest part of you, look to God and at what He has done for you personally.

3-Pick one thing and say something along the lines of, “God, thank you for _____,” and tell Him what it is you are thankful for. You can do it silently or out loud, whichever you are more comfortable with.

It’s that simple.

If you don’t know what to start with, try thanking Him for any one of these:

You have a job, a place to stay, a vehicle, a meal to eat today, a sibling you are close to, $3 in your pocket. You saw a bird outside, it rained, it didn’t rain, the clouds are out, the sun is out, you have a pair of shoes to wear, you have water to bathe in at home. You got to go to lunch with a friend, you got to visit with your grandparent, you went on a trip, you got to stay home and rest.

You get the idea.

Don’t worry if you aren’t good at it. Don’t worry if it feels odd.

Just pick something and try it. The more you do it, the easier it will become.

The more you do this, the more you will begin to see just how much He is working in your life and all around you.

You might even consider keeping a journal of the things you are thankful for. This will give you a chance to look back at the good things going on in your life so that when you are down you can be reminded of just how faithful and generous God really is.

The important thing is to daily tell God how thankful you are and how much you appreciate Him.

So, tell me, what are you thankful for today?

 

For further reading
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances
Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord
Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the Lord
Psalm 136:3 Give thanks to the Lord