God wants all believers in Christ to always give thanks to Him. When we do, we receive more of His blessings and favor in our lives.
“Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Through this scripture, the Apostle Paul encourages the Thessalonian church to make thanksgiving their attitude regardless of their circumstances, because this is how God desires them to live.
We can Learn From Jesus
When Jesus Christ, the pattern Son, was on earth, He made thanksgiving His attitude and often gave thanks on many occasions. In John 6:11, He gave thanks for the five loaves of bread and two fish before they were miraculously distributed to feed over 5,000 people, with leftovers to spare. Jesus also gave thanks before breaking bread and sharing wine during the Last Supper with His disciples (Mark 14:22-23 and Luke 22:19). In John 11:41, Jesus gave thanks to God before raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus’s body had already begun to decompose after being dead for four days, but Jesus gave thanks, and Lazarus came back to life.
The Benefits of Gratitude
So, what are the divine rewards for a life of gratitude? We'll dive into the many benefits of thanksgiving in the next part of this series. To be continued…