Ephesians 5:20(KJV)
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Apostle Paul admonishes us to give thanks always to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We understand from Scriptures that thanksgiving is an act of appreciation or showing gratitude to God for all things. Giving thanks is the most distinctive mark of true believers, for it is written in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is the will of God for us to be thankful to Him. Thanksgiving is one of the major secrets of life and the cheapest way to live. It is the master key to gaining entrance into His gate(Psalms 100:4) and connects us to the goodness and mercy of God. Giving thanks to God is the recognition of dependence when it is filled with true meaning and not something we do as part of politeness. For those with a heart of thankfulness to God, when things are working, they thank God, and when things are not going in the direction they envisaged, they still thank God, knowing well that the faithfulness of God will never allow them to suffer loss. A thankful heart focuses on who God is and trust Him in all things. If we wait for what God will do before we can be thankful to Him, we wait too long. When we are thankful, our focus moves off selfish desires and off the pain of current circumstances.
At whatever point in life, there is always something for which to be grateful unto God. While there will always be things to complain about, if we look carefully there are always blessings to be thankful for. As children of God, our actions or words should always say “thank You God! An attitude of gratitude should be reflected in all we do. Regardless of our present situation, whether good, bad or delightful, we are to give Him thanks. Training our hearts to be thankful in all situations keeps us from bitterness, discouragement, selfishness, anger, covetousness and other harmful attitudes. Giving thanks to Him brings joy and peace to our hearts and prepares the ground for more of His blessings. Jeremiah 30:19 says “And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.” When we have the thanksgiving attitude our lives will be full of victory, glory, joy, increase, supernatural abundance and unending testimonies. Those who give thanks do not need to ask, neither do they beg, they simply call(John 11:41-44). We need the kind of Spirit of thanksgiving that operated in Jesus, so that before every obstacle of life, we operate that anointing that will break the prison gates and also bring the dead out of the grave.
Beloved, learn to give thanks to God always for all things. Thank God tirelessly and consistently. No matter what you are passing through right now, learn to count your blessings and name them one by one. There is always something for you to be thankful for. Instead of crying and complaining, use that energy to thank God. Look up and appreciate God for what you have, for where you are and where He is taking you. Make the choice to thank Him in order to experience His Almightiness in your life. Thank Him for what He did before in your life in order to access what He will do again. Wake up in the morning with thanksgiving. Throughout your day, let thanksgiving flow. In the night, let it continue and your life will never be the same. Today, develop the heart of thanksgiving, and the Presence of the Lord will never depart from you.
O Lord, thank You for where I am now and for where You are taking me in Jesus’ Name.