Thanksgiving or Thanks-Living?

Thanksgiving or Thanks-Living?

 

Thanksgiving is more than a holiday that falls on the fourth Thursday of every November. It is meant to be a way of life.  Matthew Henry said “Thanksgiving is good but Thanks-Living is better.”

Real thanksgiving, Biblical thanksgiving, is based not on our circumstances, but on God’s sufficiency; not on our production, but on God’s provision; not on our performance, but on God’s providence. Paul described thanksgiving with this admonition:  “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)  Thanks-Living is more than words. It is a positive mental attitude, focused on God and grateful for all the benefits that are ours as believers. It is a lifestyle rooted in the disposition of our hearts!

 

In the movie, Facing the Giants, Coach Grant Taylor tries to deliver the message of Thanks-Living to his football team. He said, “We’re going to praise God when we win and we’re going to praise Him when we lose.” Scripture does not instruct us to give thanks for all circumstances. Instead it says “Give thanks in all circumstances.” We can give thanks in every circumstance. Why? Because God will use every circumstance (whether good or bad) for the good of those who are His children.

 

Rest assured that God will never call us to be or to do something that He doesn’t also give us the power, the resources, and the ability to do! The God who calls us to Thanks-Living has a way to cause thanksgiving to abound in our heart and life. How?  In the Scripture, right before God says “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” He says, “Pray continually.” The key to a thankful life is a prayerful life. Philippians 4:6, 7, reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Thanks-Living will activate the joy of the Christian life! How? Every day we have a choice to make. The choice is whether we are going to praise God in the midst of our problems or brood about them. Throughout the Bible praising God as a lifestyle is highly emphasized. Why? First of all, it’s because it is only right and fitting that we honor God. He is so infinitely worthy of being praised and glorified!  What’s more, praise establishes strength and causes our faith to grow. Praise brings protection and deliverance. Praise transforms our surroundings, and helps us to renew our minds. Praise causes the presence of the Lord to manifest. Praise also creates havoc in the realm of the spiritual enemies of God, binding demonic rulers of darkness, causing them to be confused and destroy themselves. Have you ever read in 2 Chronicles 20 about King Jehoshaphat? He sent his turned-on team of praise musicians out in front of the army, and it caused their enemies to destroy themselves!

 

So how can we live a life of Thanks-Living and celebrate Thanksgiving every day of the year? By obeying the Scriptures, “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).  Happy Thanks-Living!