Thanksgiving marks a day in which America’s original colonists gathered together to give thanks for a promising harvest of food. They feasted upon their bounty, and thanked God for His gifts.
One of the many reasons the pilgrims traveled to America was to seek religious freedom. In doing so, God worked through them and created the wonderful, free, country we have today.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is important for Christians to remember why giving thanks is important.
(Doulos Partners works to spread God’s love across the world. Get involved!)
What Does The Bible Say About Giving Thanks?
The practice of giving thanks to the Lord is seen all throughout the Bible. In Genesis, there are stories of people showing their thanks by giving sacrifices to the Lord. Later, the Israelites expressed thanks by dancing, singing songs, and even feasting.
In the New Testament, hundreds of verses mark the importance of giving thanks, and command us to do so.
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
No matter what happens, be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thes 5:18
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalms 106:1
As you can see, it is called upon us to remember his love and give thanks. He died for our sins so we may have eternal life. We must honor Him in all we do.
Giving Thanks Helps Us
As natural-born sinners, we frequently become covetous. In remembering to give thanks our focus shifts from what we want, to what we have. We all have so much, and He was the provider.
In that switch of focus comes understanding. When we begin to study what we have, and how it positively affects our lives, our eyes begin to see God’s work more frequently. We learn to recognize Him in the smallest of gestures, and His communication to us becomes clearer. By simple acknowledging His gifts, we can strengthen our relationship with Him, and build unyielding faith.
Giving Thanks Helps Others
Without giving thanks, we cannot come to have a deep understand of our God. Worship and prayer are all difficult when we are having trouble expressing gratitude. By recognizing His gifts, we can help others recognize Him too.
Our job as Christians is to share His love unto the world. Who would hear us if we couldn’t share with them why we are thankful for Him? When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we can better guide others to His kingdom.
God’s love is such a beautiful thing. Let us not forget to send all of our thanks to Him this Thanksgiving.
At Doulos Partners, we hope you have a holiday filled with joy and laughter. Remember to take the thanks we give and use it to help us keep Christ at the center of our lives.
