How many times have you heard someone say: “Give God thanks,” read a scripture about being thankful or a social media post? What does being thankful really mean?

Being thankful invokes an emotion. It’s not just a word or a statement. It’s a feeling that follows- you know that feeling; it is sincere appreciation and gratitude.

• Someone offered to take you to lunch. 
• Someone cooked one of your favorite dishes and brought you a sample. 
• You received an unexpected text or call just to say “I appreciate you and love you.”

Are we really thankful for what the Lord has done for us or has it become a formality- just something we say? Does it invoke an emotion? In other words, after saying thank you, do we really think about what could have happened IF the Lord did not do what we said we were thankful for?

Webster defines thankful as: “glad that something has happened or not happened…”
Are we REALLY thankful that we woke up this morning?

Are we REALLY thankful that we have our health and strength?

Are we REALLY thankful for the job that we have?

Consider this: When YOU do something for someone, whether they expect it or not, you at LEAST want them to acknowledge your act of kindness, right? So…(clears throat) why wouldn’t we think the Lord, our Father, His would not want us, His children, to give Him a sincere thank you? After all, we were made in HIS image and likeness, which probably means He has feelings too!

You don’t have to be thankful FOR all, but THROUGH and IN all.

“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Let’s pray: Lord, forgive me. Forgive me for the times I just said thank you but didn’t really mean it. Had I meant it, my next statement would not have been a complaint or a “…but.” We take things for granted and have even placed a weight on a blessing – small or big. Jesus, whatever you do, is mighty. Every blessings is GREAT. It doesn’t take a Red Sea parting experience for me to know that you are faithful, you are good and you are not required to do anything. Since you have done what pleases you and that it is all for my good, that alone invokes a sincere emotion of gratitude. I love you forever. I humbly ask that you accept this prayer. In Jesus name, amen.