Give Thanks

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Catey Stover in Victory Call

…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

As a matter of fact, God isn’t asking you to be thankful. He’s asking you to give thanks. There’s a big difference. One response involves emotions, the other your choices, your decisions about a situation, your intent, your “step of faith.” Joni Eareckson Tada

I recently read the above quote by Joni Eareckson Tada in a devotional book.  In just a few sentences, she summed up what so many of us struggle with when it comes to thankfulness.  Because, let’s face it, it can be very hard to be thankful for everything.  When we are going through difficulties – in our marriages, with our children, with our finances, our jobs, our homes – it can be very difficult to be thankful for those things. But we can and should still express our thanks to God for who He is and all He does in our lives.

Have you ever tried to teach a toddler “please” and “thank you”? They quickly learn to use “please” so they can have what they want; “thank you” seems to take a bit longer to learn.

On days when the weather is bad, I can grumble and complain about the rain, or I can be thankful that there isn’t a water shortage. Or that there will be flowers in the spring. Or that, since I brought lunch to work with me I don’t have to go outside until it’s time to go home for the day. These are all conscious choices, acts of the will, to choose to be thankful in my circumstances, even though I may not feel thankful.

And the more we choose to give thanks, the more thankful we will then feel. We can choose to let our feelings direct our actions, but how much wiser to let our actions direct our feelings!

Today, choose to give thanks, and see if you don’t end up feeling more thankful.

Written by Ruth Schmidt: Ruth Schmidt has worked at America’s Keswick since 1985. She currently serves as the Administrative Assistant to Bill Welte.

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Think About This: “Remember who you are. Don’t compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.” –Lysa Terkeurst

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.