[3 min. read—church resource]
The apostle Paul insists and encourages believers to be thankful. Giving thanks or being grateful is foundational to the Christian life. Paul sprinkles thankfulness through most of his letters to the churches and does so frequently that it is hard to overlook. One must deliberately ignore this critical Christian posture. Paul uses thanksgiving in many places and a variety of contexts. Sometimes, thankfulness is used instructively; other times, it is used assumptively; still, at others, it is used encouragingly. Anytime Paul describes and lists the blessings we have been granted in Christ; he never fails to bookend them with a giving of thanks.
Why is thankfulness/thanksgiving so important? For one, thanksgiving is an act of obedience. We are told to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18) In other words, thanksgiving is commanded. And as Christ also said, “if we say we love Him we will keep his commands.”
God knows the magnitude and cost of salvation brought about through the death of His Son. Ingratitude arises from entitlement, ignorance, or a lack of heartfelt consideration. When we fail to give thanks, we demonstrate that we take God’s grace for granted. We can become indifferent to His grace partly because our flesh or sin nature resists depending on or relying on anyone or anything outside itself for sustenance, especially God. The flesh despises being indebted. It seeks self-reliance and self-sufficiency, rejecting any sense of obligation to others. However, this is a delusion. We are contingent beings with no existence apart from our Creator. “In him we live, move, and have our being.” Therefore, we entertain grandiose delusions when we drift from a thankful heart. We believe in something that is not true and assume we are someone we are not. Again, ingratitude implies indebtedness. We are forever indebted to give thanks because the blood of Christ paid our sin debt. Which debt would we rather owe: a debt of thanksgiving, offering praise with our lips, or a debt of punishment and eternal separation from a life-giving God?
Second, thankfulness strengthens our faith. It helps us to be resilient in the face of trial and suffering. It strengthens our resolve to wait on the Lord and be patient in tribulation while anticipating, with great confidence, that He will come through for us.
Third, thankfulness also reduces discontent. Discontent is the result of unmet expectations. It is often a product of entitlement and deservingness. We want more than we should or something that doesn’t belong to us. Some expectations, however, are normal and relatively healthy, based on our having experienced consistency and predictability in many parts of our lives. We are prone to discount anything unique or worthy of special attention when it is experienced as customary. When novelty wears off, so can gratitude. It requires intentionality and commitment to pay attention to the mundane or predictable. But how do we achieve this constant attitude of gratitude in the face of monotony? We consider it an expression of God’s covenant faithfulness and steadfast love.
God’s loyal love is predictable and regular. Suppose we can reconsider God’s sameness (or immutability) as extraordinary because it vouches for His unwavering commitment to us and His own character. In that case, our thankfulness becomes consistent and always sweet, never bland.
Fourth, thankfulness quells the natural rise of entitlement in our hearts. When we are not thankful, we are prone to complaining, judgmentalism, self-pity, and self-loathing. We fail to be compassionate and loving. Where there is a dearth of thanksgiving, there is a proliferation of envy, coveting, conflict, division, betrayal, hostility, and hatred. The more thankful we are, the more content we become, and the more inclined and able we are to fulfill the great commandment to love God and neighbor.
Finally, thankfulness improves our quality of life. There are numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that thankful people have better relationships, are more satisfied in their relationships, get sick less, have lower blood pressure, are at lower risk for heart disease, and are less stressed and anxious. Thankful people are less depressed, more optimistic and hopeful, have a more stable sense of self, live longer, and are less prone to other disorders of the mind.
Therefore, let us give thanks.