Thank God Always

Do you thank God always in good times as well as bad?  Is your answer no? Then, you have observed that thankfulness does not come naturally, especially in difficult circumstances.  The reason is that sin wires us to grumble, worry, and complain. So, how can we always thank God as He commands? And is obedience even possible? Yes, according to God’s Word, it is, so find out how.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It is evident from reading this verse that thankfulness is not a human trait. But it is most definitely the work of the Holy Spirit. So, when daily irritants threaten thankfulness, look at them as opportunities to ask God for His help. And when grumbling and complaining overcome you, remember that the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. And then, look to Jesus to put away sin and continue to walk by faith.  

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:5

You Will Thank God When You Focus on Him

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

The cares of life can very quickly choke out thankfulness. And this happens whenever you focus solely on your circumstances. But when God is your focus, you will turn to His Word and remember to ask for His help. Then, when events threaten to overcome you, you will have His perspective in place of an earthly point of view. So, thank God now that He is sufficient to handle whatever comes your way.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

Come to God with a Thankful Heart

Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 95:1-2

Thankfulness is an expression of gratitude. And nothing honors God and pleases Him more than when His children are grateful for His Presence in their lives. When you kneel in humble submission to His will, you acknowledge that He is God, and you are not! And when you surrender to Him, you will see how He personally and lovingly cares for you. So, when you place your faith in God, you will have many reasons to thank Him.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care. Psalm 95:6-7

Thank God that He Created You and Has a Plan for Your Life

For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1: 16

Many are thankful for creation but never give thanks to their Creator. So, thank God often for revealing His glory in creation. And also, thank God that He created you and that He loves you enough to work in your life. Because you belong to Him, He works through your difficulties to conform you to the image of Christ Jesus.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

Thank Jesus that He Carries Your Burdens

Jesus says to each one of us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

First, come to Jesus and tell Him that you need Him.  Then, thank Him for knowing the burdens that you carry. Now, give Him your load of care in exchange for His peace.  As soon as you call on Him, He is there, so thank God that He is always with you.

Come near to God, and He will come near to you. James 4:8

When you thank God, you draw close to Him. So, thankfulness is the antidote to bitter, negative thinking. And when you are thankful in God’s Presence, you worship Him.  So, think of thankfulness as a privilege, not an obligation.

Thank God Always that He is Good

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Trials are a pressure cooker, so there will always be the temptation to doubt God’s goodness. But no matter what trauma or circumstance you are in, remember that God is good!   And never believe that life on earth should be like living in heaven, or you will live with constant disappointment. Because trials, pain, and sickness will always be your earthly experience.

Therefore, whenever you choose an earthly perspective rather than a godly one, you hinder thankfulness. And when you are ungrateful, your heart becomes darkened, and you lose perspective. Then, you begin to doubt that God is good, so you accuse God and question His care for you. So, to restore a thankful heart, confess your envy, bitterness, anger, and unforgiving spirit. And then thank God for His forgiveness in Christ Jesus.

Thank God for His Unfailing Love and Deliverance

Read God’s Word, and you will thank God for His goodness, unfailing love, and ability to help you. Because then, your mind will focus on God’s mercy, deliverance, guidance, and provision instead of your hardship.

They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered then from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:5-9

Notice that those in Psalm 107 cried out to the Lord in their trouble. Do you? We often have not because we ask not. So then, thank God always that He is good and that He answers prayers.

Thank God That He Answers Your Prayers

God makes all things work together for your good. Remember this truth always, especially when in a trial: When you have Jesus, you have everything you need.

I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:23-26

Are you going through a difficult time? If so, God will give you His strength and peace as you depend on Him. Then you will know that God answers prayer, and you will know by experience that God is faithful. Furthermore, He is pleased when you trust Him. So then, surrender your problems to Him and say, “I want your will to be done and not my own.”

A Thankful Heart Does Not Deny Reality but Focuses on Jesus 

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:12-13

A thankful heart does not deny reality but instead refocuses your gaze from your circumstances to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So, genuine gratitude begins when you focus your mind on who He is and all that He has done for you. Indeed, God is always working for your good and His glory. So, with this in mind, you choose whether to be grateful or bitter. Therefore, thanking God is a work of faith, and trusting God will quiet your heart.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18

When We Forget to Thank God, We Become Ungrateful

Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:1-2

Do you set your mind on God, or are you constantly focused on the cares of this world? Unfortunately, when your focus is earthly, you forget about God once your day begins, and the tasks pile up. And you also lose sight of God when you allow the worries and cares of this life to overwhelm you. So, when this happens, ask God to help you focus on Him and not on yourself or your circumstances. Because a forgetful heart soon becomes an ungrateful heart, keep us from forgetting you, Lord.

Be filled with the Spirit.  Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18, 20

When you begin to thank God frequently throughout the day, watch how your perspective changes. Because when you allow the Spirit of Christ to fill you with thankfulness, it will be hard to worry and complain. So, allow gratitude to rule your heart, and the Lord will come into view.

Thank God always for His Salvation in Christ Jesus

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:15, 17

Because we are forgetful creatures, God instituted Communion in the church to help us remember Jesus. This practice helps believers remember that the death, burial, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus, is always the source of our spiritual life. So, thank God always for your salvation in Christ.

In the past, God instituted many feasts for the Jews, and one of these celebrations was called the Feast of Tabernacles. So, the significance for us is that this feast did not depend on a bountiful harvest. Instead, through feast or famine, the people were to remember and thank God for His goodness.

Because God never changes, this principle of thanking Him for His goodness in good times and bad still pleases Him. So, ask God for a grateful heart, and you won’t ever forget all the benefits of being a child of God. Also, spend time daily with God in His Word and in prayer to keep your heart from being forgetful. So, ask God now to fill your heart with thankfulness for all that He has done in your life. Then, depend on the Holy Spirit to thank God always.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Thank God Always. 

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Bible study for “Thank God Always”

Week 1:  1 Chronicles 16:8-11; Psalms 7:17; 9:1-2, 10; 46:1-3; 69:30-31; 73:23-26; 92:1-8, 12-15; 95:1-7; 100; 103:1-22; 107:1, 4-9, 10-16, 19-22; 118:24; 136; 145; 147:5; Habakkuk: 3:17-19

Week 2: Matthew 11:28; Luke 17:11-19; Romans 1:21; 7:24-25; 8:1-2, 18, 28-30; 1 Corinthians 15:56-58; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 9:8, 10-15

Week 3: Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 3:20-21; 5:18, 20; Philippians 2:14-15; 4:4-7, 12-13, 19-20; Colossians 2:6-7; 3:1-2, 15-17

Week 4:  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Hebrews 12:28; 13:5; James 4:1-3, 8; 1 Peter 5:7; 2 Peter 1:3; Revelation 7:11-12