Thankfulness

The most important verse in the Bible that goes along with thankfulness is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Just think about it. The will of God sure isn’t hard to find in that verse is it? Do you long to be in God’s perfect will all the time? Well in every situation, and in every circumstance, give thanks. Yes, it’s easier said than done. The Bible doesn’t say, “In everything give thanks, except for the bad times in our lives.” No, I’m sure everything, means everything to the Lord. The Lord does not waste words, and he doesn’t say things he doesn’t really mean either. He means exactly what he says. If you’re confused about God’s will for your life, how about start with being thankful. If you start there, I’m sure the fog will lift.

First of all, let’s look at what God thinks about unthankfulness. Go get your King James Bible out, and look up Numbers 11:1, and numbers 14:29. Those Jews complained and murmured, and that made God so mad he killed them. Now, you know those Jews did a lot of things in that Old Testament that were so very wicked, and God let them live. But let me tell you something. God doesn’t take too kindly to someone complaining, and murmuring.

What did the Children of Israel complain about? I mean it must have been bad because God killed them, right? What would you say if I told you it was over food? Moses led them out of Egypt, and after a while they got hungry. I’m sure you’d get hungry too, wouldn’t you? Well, God understood their situation. He said to himself. “Just wait till they see what I’m fixen to give them for food. I’ll make a nice, light, tasty wafer that will just melt in their mouths. I’ll even make this wafer taste like honey, (see Exodus 16:31) and I’ll put all the nutrition they need right inside that little fluffy wafer.”

God not only gave them food, but he made it taste good too. But you know what? They complained. And when they needed water, they murmured against Moses, and complained. They didn’t just walk up to Moses and ask for it. They demanded it. Not one time did the Bible say they asked for it. They could have asked Moses to talk to God for them. I’m sure God was just waiting to show them how good he was. He said to them over, and over after he showed his mighty works, “And ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.”

Not only did they murmur about not having water, but they were to the point of wanting to stone Moses because of it. (Exodus 17:4). My, what ungrateful people! And that alone burned within God’s heart, so that he killed them. That sin alone, started the children of Israel down hill with God almighty. That one little sin of unthankfulness led to the sin of idolatry. If they were thankful for the God that they had, they wouldn’t have been worshiping other gods, right? You know, if we would just be thankful for the God that we have and just fix in our hearts that he’s all we need, I doubt there would be time for other gods in our lives, don’t you think? The sin of idolatry led the Children of Israel down the road of no return. It led them down the horrible road of tragedy, heartache, and life without their true God. This was the God who loved them, and cared for them so much. It was the God who just wanted to show them his mighty works, and that he alone was their God. It was the God who wanted to bless them in a mighty way.

When you’re unthankful, that’s when sin comes sticking its foot in the door. Read Romans 1:18-21. These verses are saying that God hates ungodliness and unrighteous, and he’s angry when men know what the truth is, and they go against it anyway. No one will be without excuse when they stand before God. I don’t care if someone lives in Africa, and has never heard the gospel. If they are searching for the truth, God will show them. He will reveal it to them some how. In verse 20, the Bible states that everyone who looks at the creation of the world can tell that there is an Almighty God. God will show them things to prove that he’s there. They will be clearly without excuse. But in verse 21 the Bible says that even after God proved he was there, and they knew that there was a God, they glorified him not, and neither were they thankful. So their foolish heart was darkened. And oh my! What a horrible thing it is, when the light goes out. The Bible says that truly the light is sweet. You see, God proved to the children of Israel over, and over again that he was their God. He brought them out of Egypt. He fed them sweet manna. He led them by a cloud in the day, and by fire at night. He won battles for them. He showed them over, and over again his wondrous works. They were without excuse. They had no reason to go whoring after other Gods. But yet it all started out with just one little sin, and that sin was unthankfulness.

Can you think of some sins caused by being unthankful? Well, I sure can. How about stealing? You wouldn’t steal if you were thankful for what you already had. Murders are committed because of an unthankful heart. Here’s a good one, what about lusting. You wouldn’t lust, if you were thankful for what you had. There’s also adultery. If a man was thankful for the wife that God gave him, he wouldn’t want a different one. All these are sins that just started out as unthankfulness, and I’m sure there’s more. You know the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. And guess what? The love for money is all started with simply this, unthankfulness.

Now, what are we supposed to be thankful for? Well, the Bible clearly tells us. All the answers to life are found in that precious book. Paul says in Philippians 4:1, “For I have learned , in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” You know, Paul was sick, and afflicted. He had a thorn in his flesh all the time. A thorn in the flesh just simply means something in your life that is bothersome. Paul had to have a doctor (Luke the physician) to travel around with him all the time, so I’m sure his thorn in the flesh was something to do with his health. But he had to learn to be content with it. The only way that God can help you get through the rough times in your life is when your content.

The Bible tells us to be content with just two things. Do you know what they are? They are food, and clothes. See 1 Timothy 6:8. You just can’t make it through life without those two things. A Christian needs to be clothed right. And you can’t make it physically without nourishment. You know, we have a good Heavenly Father. He’ll make sure we have those two things. But we need to make sure that we are content with just those two things as well. Anything above those two things are just extra special blessings from the Lord.

Hebrews 13:5 says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Colossians 3:15, “ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body: And be ye thankful.” Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” I just love this verse. It’s saying, don’t be full of care. Don’t worry about every little thing. And don’t worry about the big things either. Come to God about all your cares in prayer and with supplication. But don’t forget thanksgiving. That’s a very important part of prayer. Don’t be like some of these Christians who only come to God when their in need of something. Don’t just keep asking, and asking for things without thanking him for what he’s already done for you, and what he’s already given to you. Remember, with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. How about thanking him for the trials, for the hard times as well. Just keep thanking him, and thanking him, and then let your request be made known to him. Oh how the Lord loves a thankful heart.

And then finally, the verse that has so few words, but has the most powerful message in thanks giving; 1 Thessalonians 5:18. “In everything give thanks, For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” You know, there was something in my life that over the years began to grow some pretty strong roots of bitterness. I never was thankful for it, it fact I despised it. I had never thought about being thankful for it at all. It never even crossed my mind that I should be thankful for it. I was very angry for it. And it seemed God could have helped with it, but he didn’t. Then one day that root of bitterness, which had been planted and watered for so many years, grew so strong it choked at my heart and began to come between me and God. On a day that I so needed it, God showed me this verse. Now I knew this verse was in the Bible, but on that particular day, I took a deeper look into that verse and I said, “Everything Lord?” and he said, “Everything, even the bad things.”

So I started being thankful for that bad thing in my life, and it seemed like that nasty root of bitterness began to get weaker, and weaker. I didn’t know it then, but God wanted to use that bad thing in my life to benefit others, and myself, as well as him. I learned that if I started being thankful for everything in my life, good or bad, my load of care was so much lighter. Not only was my load lighter, but God proved to me that being thankful for everything was his perfect will. And I sure love being in God’s will, don’t you?

God wanted to show the children of Israel his mighty works, he wanted to show them that he could provide for them. He wanted to show them that he could help them win their battles. He also wants to show you that he is your God, and that he’ll take care of you. He wants to show you that with his help, you can win the spiritual battles in your life. But he can’t help someone that has an ungrateful heart. Let’s not make the same mistake that the children of Israel did. Let’s be thankful for everything.