“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 ESV
When someone gives us a gift, our general response is not “that’s very nice; how much do I owe you?” Our general and appropriate response is “thank you.”
That is one of the basic yet integral courtesies we teach children early in life. Because giving thanks is not an instinctive part of human nature, we constantly remind children by asking, “What do you say?” or by saying, “Tell them thank you” when someone gives them something.
“Giving thanks” is an expression of gratitude. The idea behind giving thanks is to express gratitude for the incredible blessings God has given us that we don’t deserve. Thus, giving thanks is the response from one who is an undeserving recipient of undeserved grace. This gratitude is demonstrated through a thankful attitude of heart.
The Thanksgiving holiday has become a time to share a celebratory meal with family and express gratitude for the year’s blessings. But being thankful is not reserved for just one day out of the year. For the Christian, giving thanks should be the attitude of our hearts and on our lips every day. In other words, giving thanks is a way of life for those who have been beneficiaries of God’s benevolent grace.
Failure to give thanks to God has been associated with sin. Some consider unthankfulness a root cause of sin and a mark of rejecting God (Romans 1:21, 22). Thankfulness should be a way of life for us, just as we are to walk in love and in holiness (Ephesians 5:1-4).
Being thankful is an integral part, a significant ingredient, a chief characteristic of the Christian life. It is an awareness of God’s goodness bestowed upon us. It is an appreciation for God’s grace. It is an acknowledgement of that graciousness. It is adoration offered to God, the gracious one.
But what makes thankfulness a chief characteristic of the Christian life?
One, thankfulness is commanded.There are numerous verses in both testaments that command and remind us to “give thanks unto the Lord.” As thankful hearts and attitudes are not naturally developed, we repeatedly work to instill them in children, so they become a part of who they are. As such, we are constantly enjoined to give thanks, because there are times even when we may not feel like it.
Secondly, thankfulness is to be continual. We are instructed to “give thanks always,” meaning we are to express our gratitude continually (Ephesians 5:20). Some aspects of the Christian experience come and go; some things vary. Yet certain aspects of the Christian life have an “always” attached to them, whereby we are to do these consistently, such as rejoicing always, praying always, and giving thanks always.
Thirdly, thankfulness is to be expressed in all circumstances. We are commanded to “give thanks in everything,” meaning thanksgiving is all-inclusive in our lives, covering every area and everything that happens in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It’s easy to give thanks in the good times, when everything is going our way or the way we want it to. But regardless of how things are going, we are to be thankful even in hard times, in tragedy and in dire circumstances.
Making thanksgiving a regular part of every day or at least bracketing the day with it in the morning and at night (as suggested in Psalm 92:1-2), will provide breathing room for living throughout the day.
Every time you notice God has graced you, thank him every time. We must be careful not to take God or his graciousness for granted. Instead, take every opportunity to tell God “thank you!”
Rev. Johnson Beaven III is a speaker, theological educator, and ministry mentor. For more information, view linktr.ee/johnsonbeaven. Contact him via email at jb3ministries@gmail.com or on X @jbeaven.
Camike Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of the Indianapolis Recorder. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Jones has a lifelong commitment to advocacy and telling stories that represent the community.
