The young doctor emerged from the operating room and approached my dad and me with an unreadable expression.
Our hearts pounded as he lowered his mask—and to our relief, revealed a wide grin. “Good news! The surgery went well. I believe we removed all of the tumor.”
Dad and I hugged the doctor, hugged each other, and then released the breath we’d been holding. Mom had made it through. After nine long hours of brain surgery, this was cause to praise and thank God if ever there was one!
On my drive home from the hospital, I felt as though I couldn’t possibly thank God enough for what He’d done in my life. Of course, I told him how grateful I was, but it just didn’t seem like enough.
Thanksgiving need not come only once a year. Every day is Thanksgiving for the followers of Christ.
I sensed the Lord calling me to broaden my understanding of the subject. I searched the scriptures to open my mind and heart to other ways of showing thanksgiving to God. The search all those years ago has helped me to remain thankful through good times and the trials of life. Little did I know, Mom would develop another brain tumor that would eventually lead her home to Jesus. We would also say goodbye to other precious family members in the years to follow.
My circumstances no longer dictated my thankfulness to God. I have learned the Lord is worthy of my thankfulness because He is good. I’ve also discovered that we don’t need to wait for a reason or a particular answer to prayer to thank Him. We can thank God right now in our day-to-day lives. In fact, He prefers it this way!
Five Ways to Thank God Now
1. Obey His Commands
One of the best ways to show our thankfulness to the Lord is to do what He says. When we obey God, we are speaking His love language. Obeying God’s commands is a way we can thank God now and every single day.
“If you love me, obey my commands.” John 14:5 NLT
“Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3 NLT
2. Love Him by Loving Others
Human beings are the only creatures on earth that bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27) He formed us with His hands and breathed His breath into our lungs (Genesis 2:7). God loves all people (1John 4:10). God, Himself is love (1John 4:8).
When we love others, we are showing our love and thankfulness to God. There are those who would have never darkened the doorway of a church building if it were not for someone “showing” them the love of God. As Christians, we are in fact, The Church.
“Jesus replied, ‘you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 NLT
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 NLT
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7 NLT
3. Grow in Relationship with Him
For any relationship to grow, it must be nurtured. It is the same with our relationship with God. A relationship can be looked at like a garden that must be tended to regularly or it will die. We show God our thankfulness by intentionally working on our relationship each day.
“‘I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.‘Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.’” John 15:1-5 NLT
4. Give Our Tithes and Offerings
The giving of finances to God is one of the most biblical ways we demonstrate our thanksgiving and gratitude to God. It does not earn His favor—as Christians, we already have God’s favor. Tithing is an act of faith that helps keep our priorities straight. It reminds us that all we have belongs to the Lord and we are only managers of what He has given us.
It is said we can measure what we value most by our bank account. What does your bank account say about your values?
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
Our offerings to the Lord are not only monetary. An offering can also be our time, talents, as well as our treasures. The amount of an offering is not commanded by God but instead determined by the worshiper, “as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:17).
When we give an offering, we are showing our thankfulness to the Lord.
5. Share Our Testimony
Tell your story. When you came to know Christ, your life changed for eternity. That is something to share! Tell others about freedom from fear, love, joy, peace, and hope.
“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1 NLT
Lord knows, 2020 has challenged our faith and perhaps our thankfulness has suffered. I know I found myself grumbling and complaining about many things this year. In fact, this morning, I was venting my frustrations with God about the news media, politics, the spirit of anger even between believers, and more. The Lord took me to this scripture:
“Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; when they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.” Psalm 146:3-4
Wow! Just wow! I’m so grateful that God is in control. I don’t need to worry about the powerful people. That is a reason to be thankful.
“My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven, and earth.” Psalm 121:2 NLT
A good antidote for complaining is thanksgiving! My friends, God is ALWAYS worthy of our praise and thankfulness.
Thanksgiving need not come only once a year. Every day is Thanksgiving for the followers of Christ.
