Giving Thanks - The Will of God

A Biblical reminder that thanksgiving is not merely a pleasant virtue, but the declared will of God for every believer in Christ Jesus.

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

The Challenge of a Thankful Heart

This is an amazing statement.  Seldom do we think of the importance of having a thankful heart.  As a child on my birthday or at Christmas, how focused I was upon the presents.  Long before the day arrived, I would start thinking and wondering what would be found in those colorfully wrapped presents.  When the time to open them came, there was no thought as to the time and effort spent by someone to buy and wrap the gifts.  I tore into the paper wrapping and struggled to see what was hidden by the bright colored paper even before arriving at the box in which it was packaged.  Once perceived, all attention was upon the gift.  It was then that I would hear my mother's voice saying to me, "Tell so and so thank you".  I would stop abruptly the spirit of admiration and give a quick thank you to the giver, only to turn my attention to the next present to be unwrapped.

Why God Must Remind Us to Give Thanks

All through the Bible, God constantly reminds us that we are to be thankful.  We are to be thankful to Him and thankful to others for those things they have given to us, whether tangible or intangible.  The reason that God must remind us to be thankful is the same that requires the gentle reminder from a parent to thank someone who has been kind and thoughtful enough to give a gift to the child.  Our flesh is egotistic and selfish.  From the time of birth, a child is only interested in getting what he wants.  There is a manifestation that others are bound to satisfy the child's wants.  Even as adults before God, the flesh acts as though God is bound to satisfy the human heart.  It is only when the old sinful nature is replaced by the new nature in Christ Jesus that there is the possibility of true thankfulness.  Even with the new nature, the old fleshly habits require God's gentle reminder.

Thankfulness Is the Will of God

There are many things that the Bible says about being thankful, but our focus is upon this one declaration. Three major aspects are put forth in this verse. Let us begin with the most important truth: it is God’s will for us to be thankful. Paul does not merely declare that thankfulness is a good thing; he proclaims that it is God’s will. In fact, the verse begins with a command to give thanks. The verbal form of this command speaks of continually giving thanks.

Thus, to be ungrateful goes against God's declared will and is sin. Paul states to the believers in Rome that being unthankful is a major characteristic of the unsaved who do not glorify God. It is the result of a vain and foolish heart. "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:21). Rather than recognizing the source of life and all bountiful blessings, sinful man invents his own ideas concerning the origin and sustenance of life. Solomon said, "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions" (Ecclesiastes 7:29). The word “inventions” means mental schemes. Even though God created man to be well pleasing (upright), man became unthankful and rebellious due to an egotistic independence from God.

Even those for whom God had shown particular care and love have followed in the path of ungratefulness.  All through the Old Testament, God rebuked Israel for her lack of gratitude for having been redeemed and made the people of Jehovah.  God brought them under His care, protection and provision, and they turned their backs upon Him disobeying His commands and purposes for their lives.  It was their lack of gratitude that led them into idolatry and wickedness beyond description.  God commands thankfulness because it brings praise to His name and points others to Him.  "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD" (Psalm 116:17).

Thanksgiving Begins in Christ Jesus

Since it is the will of God for men to be thankful, and they are naturally ungrateful, the question is how can the ungrateful become thankful?  Obviously, a change must take place in the heart of the egotistical sinner.  The end of our text explains how the ungrateful can become thankful: "in Christ Jesus".  In other words, thanksgiving is the natural result of salvation in Christ Jesus.  2 Corinthians 5:17 declares that anyone in Christ is a new creature, and Ephesians 2:10 says that the sinner becomes the "workmanship" of God in Christ Jesus.  The old actions and attitudes pass away, including ingratitude.  The new nature produces new actions and attitudes with the goal and purpose of doing God's work or will.  Rather than rebellion and independence from God, the Christian surrenders to being an obedient servant doing the work of God with praise and thanksgiving.  Because he realizes what God has done to and for him, Paul says that it is only reasonable for the believer to present himself and his entire life to fulfill God's will.

All of Paul's writings make it clear that thanksgiving is an expected attribute of the new nature.  He joins thanksgiving with prayer and songs of praise (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:16).  Paul declares that thanksgiving is a sign of having the peace of God and a manifestation of the unity of believers in Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:15).  In the Old Testament dispensation, David declared that thankfulness is related to the proclamation of the works of God to others (Psalm 107:22).  Jonah in his prayer of repentance declared, "But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving" (Jonah 2:9).  Thanksgiving will be one of the major characteristics of the redeemed in heaven.  As John describes the heavenly vision of all the redeemed worshipping God, Thanksgiving is found in the midst of list of blessings directed to the glorious throne of God: "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might" (Revelation 7:12).

When Should the Believer Give Thanks?

There is another question that the verse answers: When and for what should we give thanks? This question is answered simply by two truths given in the verse. First, the very command is to be continually thankful. Hebrews 13:15 says that we are to be continually praising God which is the fruit of a thankful heart. Secondly, we are to give thanks in everything. Everything means everything. Job in the midst of the worst trials and pain that any normal human being could face declared, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). Paul and Silas in the depths of a Roman dungeon praised God and offered up prayers that surely included thanksgiving. Paul wrote to "Be careful (anxious) for nothing" (Philippians 4:6). He also said, "whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Colossians 3:17). There is hardly any other type of circumstance to be mentioned other than trials, persecution, the unknown answer to any circumstance in life and every action that we do. Of course, it is easy to give thanks to God for the blessings that He showers upon us every day. Of course, the greatest blessing He has given is the salvation freely given to all who trust in Jesus Christ.

The Fruit of Thankfulness

Thankfulness is fruitful in many ways. It glorifies the object of our thanks, declaring His goodness. It proclaims His faithfulness and care for those who belong to Him amid labors or trials. It points others to Him as the supreme source and purpose of life. It humbles and conquers the flesh with its egotism and independence from God. It encourages more submission to the will of the source of all blessings. In conclusion, thankfulness always leads the soul to God as the source of all good things, even amid difficulties. The following statement by Anne Graham Lotz sums it all up:

"The key to thankfulness is not to view God through the lens of our circumstances, but to view our circumstances through the lens of God’s love and sovereign purpose."