Pastor Dominic Cardamone
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
This verse is simple, yet its application can be challenging. In a time when we can be tempted to murmur and complain, may we remember that the will of our Savior is for us to give thanks. We should do so even in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic. There is always something for which to be thankful. I would like to offer a few biblical reminders focused on the subject of giving thanks.
Thanksgiving should be POINTED toward God.
Have you ever said, “I’m thankful for toilet paper?” You may have in recent days with the supply shortages at the stores because of coronavirus concerns. Regardless, I would suggest that all thanksgiving should begin with, “I thank God for....” God should be thanked for all that is good in our lives. He is the Author and Doer of it all. While the blessings of life may come through various channels, they all find their supply in God. So, we should be saying, “I thank God for toilet paper!” or something to that effect. :)
Psalm 18:49, “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”
James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Thanksgiving should be PARTICULAR.
We need to get specific when giving thanks. “Count your many blessings, name them one by one” is how the beloved hymn goes. If we do this, it certainly will surprise us to see all that the Lord has done. Oftentimes, by not being intentionally specific with our thanks, we fail to see the myriad of blessings that God has provided for us and consequently take them for granted. When we take the blessings of God for granted and are unparticular or unspecific in our thanksgiving, we fail to glorify God as we ought and the often generalized thanks we offer to Him is mediocre at best. Notice the specific items the psalmist offers thanks for in the verses below.
Psalm 30:4, “Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”
Psalm 106:1, “Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Thanksgiving should be PUBLIC.
Thanksgiving should be communicated not only to God but also to all men. Publicly communicating thankfulness is an avenue by which to demonstrate God’s goodness to others, to encourage others to join you in praise to God for what He has done in your life, and to teach others to offer thanksgiving for the things God is doing in their own lives. Go public with your thankfulness!
Psalm 35:18, “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.”
Giving thanks is something we can all still do while remaining socially distant! :)