Thanks A Lot

I believe that thanksgiving is the language of faith. It is the language of the joyful soul. It is the language of the conqueror. The man or woman who has learned to give THANKS A LOT is one who has practiced and perfected the art of adjusting their perspective in order to see life like God sees it.

A thankful person has trained his or her soul and mouth to respond in faith instead of complaining. I have learned that I cannot complain and give thanks at the same time. I’m either thankful or unthankful—there’s no middle ground. Complaining will take you down a dark path and blur your vision of God’s exciting plan for your life. Romans 1:21 says, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, NOR WERE THANKFUL… and their foolish hearts were darkened.” The psalmist said, “I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed” (Psalm 77:3).

Complaining is the vocabulary of the world, but giving thanks is the language of the kingdom of God. People who don’t know God live day in and day out without hope and without a future. But, we have a hope! And His Name is Jesus! We have the Word of God and all the power that comes with it! We have a bright path and a breathtaking future! We have countless reasons to be thankful for what the Lord has done for us, is doing through us, and the glory that awaits us throughout eternity!

I heard a true story not long ago about a professional athlete who found himself flat on his back in a hospital room, having been diagnosed with a debilitating disease. He was about to lose his career before it had even gotten started. He began to cry out to God, and, much to his surprise, he heard God speak back to him. He said, “Be More Thankful.” At first he didn’t understand how this could be the answer to his recovery and to his future success in life. But it was the answer. He obeyed and started thanking God in everything. Soon enough, he started to recover. He’s alive today, setting new records in his sport and living out his dream.

Throughout the Bible we see that God loves thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” This verse gives us the first step to approaching His presence. Enter with thanksgiving. We also know that Jesus is our gate to the Father. He said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). Every time I begin to worship the Lord, I always start off by thanking Him for Jesus, because He is my gate to my Father. Jesus is the most precious gift He has given us. Because in Jesus we find everything we need. And THANK YOU is the only appropriate response for a gift given.

There is such a powerful connection between giving thanks for Jesus and experiencing the sweet presence of the Lord. In 2 Chronicles 5, Solomon and the people of Israel came together to dedicate the new temple to the Lord, and as “the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and THANKING the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying; ‘For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,’ that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (1 Chronicles 5:13-14).

I love this! As the singers and the musicians came together and began to give thanks, the very atmosphere where they stood filled up with the glory of God. His glory and goodness and power responded to their unity, thanksgiving and faith! Think about it. What if you woke up in the morning giving thanks, spent all day giving thanks, and fell asleep at night giving thanks? The glory of the Lord would be able to move in and become the very atmosphere of your home and your relationships! As we give thanks, we open our hearts and lives wide open to receive the glory of His grace.

Everything we do can be done from a healthy perspective and with a heart of thanksgiving. The songs we sing should always contain a tone of triumph and thanksgiving. Tithing should always be done with thanksgiving for our Father’s continued provision. Even the mundane, like doing the laundry or changing diapers, can be done with thanksgiving. It’s all about perspective. Remember, this life is but a vapor. So in everything, give THANKS A LOT.