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Article - NewSpring

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18 views3 pages

Article - NewSpring

Uploaded by

Andre Lima
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Four reasons to be thankful

this Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving.

I think a lot of it has to do with it leading straight to


Christmas and the fact that I no longer have to hide my
decorations and Christmas playlists.

I also love the idea of being thankful, but I don’t think


giving thanks should happen only one day a year. I will be
the first to tell you I don’t give thanks consistently. My
level of giving thanks around Thanksgiving is around a
9.5, but from December to October it’s at a solid 2.

One of the Bible's prominent leaders, Paul, understood.


He started out almost all of his letters thanking his readers
for their faith. “We always thank God, the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” (Colossians
1:3). He knew that giving thanks is crucial for four main
reasons.

Four Reasons to Thank God Today

1. God wants it.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for


you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The Lord wants to be thanked for His providence and


sovereignty. Jesus wants to be thanked for taking our sin
and making us clean. The Spirit wants to be thanked for
His guidance and comfort. God has emotions, and He
desires praise. He is worthy and He deserves it.

On the other end of the spectrum, God is angered by our


grievances and complaints in the same way that He was
angered with the Israelites (Numbers 11:1-2).

2. Everything is from God.

“I always thank my God for you...for in him you have been


enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your
knowledge…” (1 Corinthians 1:4-5).

There is not a single thing we own, nor a single thing


about who we are that has not been given to us.

There is not a single thing we own, nor a single thing


about who we are that has not been given to us. From the
tiniest detail of our appearance to the house we live in,
from each and every breath to our salvation. Even in our
greatest offerings and sacrifices, we can’t outgive God.

3. A lack of thanksgiving keeps us from moving


forward.

“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites...” (Exodus


16:12)

After God led His people out of Egypt toward the


Promised Land, they spent their time in the desert
complaining. As a result, their eyes were taken off the big
picture, and they spent much more time in the desert than
they should have. The Promised Land was waiting, but
their lack of thankfulness kept them from taking their next
step into it.

Entitlement holds us back, but gratitude propels us


forward into the life God designed for us.

4. Giving thanks changes our perspective.

When we are thankful in our prayers, our focus turns away


from ourselves and to the goodness of God and all He has
done for us. Our hearts are stirred with joy. Our joy begins
to overflow and the result is fruit — growing to be more
like Jesus. Fruit sprouting all over the place!

The art of thanksgiving is consistent, steadfast, genuine,


year-round thankfulness in all things, for He is good.

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