Psalm 107:22 (KJV)
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
In our anchored Scripture, David admonishes us to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God no matter what our problems are, and He will take care of us. Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving. As children of God, we must be thankful for all things and recognize what God has done for us by declaring His wondrous works with joy. When we thank Him, we acknowledge that we owe all we have and our all to Him as we appreciate His Works. The sacrifice of thanksgiving is a natural outflow of the Christian life, springing from a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving to God is a decisive spiritual action with proven impact and effect. Men of deep thanksgiving are men of great altitude. Thankful people don’t miss greatness. We connect to God’s goodness and mercy when we thank Him. For our lives to continuously experience the Lord’s goodness and kindness, we must be thankful to Him in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” When we are grateful, our focus moves off selfish desires and the pain of current circumstances. As a result of realizing how much God has given, the people of God are thankful.
Giving thanks to God when going through unfavorable and sad events or experiences may not be easy. It is painless to praise and thank God when everything is going well, but when we thank and glorify Him in the thick of a troubling situation, in such circumstances, thanking God becomes a sacrifice. Offering thanksgiving to God at a time when every situation in our lives is saying that He doesn’t deserve it or He has forsaken us is sacrificial. A sacrifice is something into which we put effort; it costs us. A sacrificial life is a life that is committed fully and wholeheartedly to the things of God. Psalm 116:17 says, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.” Our willingness to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving confirms our devotion to God. Sacrificial thanksgiving glorifies God and proves to Him that our faith in Christ has spiritual substance. To give God a sacrifice of thanksgiving is a choice. Choosing to see things from God’s perspective makes us see why we must be grateful to God, even when others cannot see any reason. When we offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God, it is like we are giving to God what He cannot give to Himself, which moves Him to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. When we are grateful to God, we please Him, and by pleasing Him, He blesses us.
Beloved, cultivate the lifestyle of thanksgiving, praise, and worship. With a heart of thanksgiving to God, count your blessings and name them INDIVIDUALLY. Great things happen when you offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God and declare His Works with joy. Regardless of what you are going through, learn to count your blessings. Even if you have no legs or cannot hear or even if you are blind or have no food, if your finances are low and you seem to be in the midst of an endless battle, still lift your hands in gratitude for the gift of life. There is something for you to be thankful for! You can change your altitude by engaging in an attitude of thanksgiving. When you have no place to turn, turn to thanksgiving and offer it not grudgingly or of necessity but willingly and cheerfully. Today, look up and appreciate God for what you have and where you are, for your thanksgiving puts the devil under severe pressure, so never go a day without it. As you read this devotional, take a moment and think about your own life and how God heard your cry for help and responded with His steadfast love and thank Him. Remember, the sacrifice of thanksgiving brought Solomon into his place of encounter.
O Lord, thank You for all things. I give You praise and all glory. I offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving in Jesus’ Name.