The principle of thankfulness is foundational throughout scripture. We are admonished to “enter His Gates with Thanksgiving and His Courts with praise” (Psalms 100:4). Thanksgiving is a necessary element of praise and worship which should precede prayer. We should conform to a mindset of thankfulness before we enter into prayer. This conformity will bring peace and contentment to our lives. The “sacrifice of praise” is most exemplified when we are thankful during trials, loss, and other painful situations. While it’s not easy, thankfulness enables us to put on a garment of praise and cast off the spirit of heaviness. In many cases, thankfulness is the solution and cure for depression. Thankfulness should not only be an attitude we have, but it is also something we must become.
We become thankful through consistency. Consistently practicing and focusing on positives and having more than just “a knowledge” of God’s Word, we must allow a revelation of the eternal hope we have in Jesus Christ. This will enable us to be thankful. We can start by waking up every day thanking Jesus. We can utilize scriptures, such as, “this is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice, and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24). Saying these words out loud will set our state of mind for the day. Thankfulness will bring us through every battle victoriously. In the absence of Thanksgiving, wickedness will take root. We do not want to see the bad fruit that unthankfulness will produce in our lives. The most miserable people are those who are unthankful. Scripture warns of the evil that will befall those who are unthankful.
This is the warning given to the Church regarding the evil of unthankfulness. “For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21 AMP). We see how the minds of those who did not give God thanks were darkened, delusional, and if we were to read on in this chapter, we learn of the wickedness that results from a mindset of unthankfulness. Our hearts, minds, and souls are the seat of authority in our lives, controlling our emotions. Our thinking directly affects our actions. Scripture tells us, “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ” (Philippians 2:5). When we “become thankful”, we will have the peace of God that passes all understanding. We will wear this cloak of humility that can be seen by all mankind. Strife and division will cease, and we can be that light that shines on until that perfect day. Be ye thankful!
Beth Marie Evans WNOP Prayer Requests Coordinator International Christian Fellowship Brookfield, Illinois FROM: Prayer Connect Newsletter – World Network of Prayer – floshaw@wnop-upci.ccsend.com
