GRATITUDE

Has there been any moment you’ve done something good to a friend/colleague/family member and though you never expressly expected them to show gratitude, you felt so annoyed they couldn’t just say thank you for what you did for them? This is so true. I believe there’s been a time in our lives all of us have been angry at others because they couldn’t appreciate us for the little good we did for them. But on a serious note, I want to ask, when do we thank God for the many good things He does for us? Do we only have particular times we thank Him, because we can lay hold of the things we want to thank Him for? We get so busy asking God for whatever we don’t have that it is our natural instinct to forget to thank Him for all the great things He does for us. It is easier to thank God for the things we know He has done for us, like providing us a job, but is more powerful to thank Him for the things we do not know He has done for us, yet, He has done them. Today, let’s look at a few of the many things we must thank the Lord for. Enjoy!

SEVEN THINGS TO THANK THE LORD FOR

1. He forgives us all our iniquities: We fail God everyday with sins we don’t even know we’ve committed, yet He forgives us all of them when we ask for His forgiveness. But how many of us sit to think about how honorable it is to have all our sins forgiven us, not by man, but by God? But for His forgiveness we would have died in our sins and would have also ended up in hell (Romans 6:23). We must be grateful to God for forgiving us our sins and we must continually be grateful to Him by not going back to our sins anymore.

2. He heals all our diseases. When was the last time a disease/sickness struck you? Or even if you were once hit by a serious disease, hasn’t God healed you of it? Have you thought about the many people who died from such same sicknesses? The same sicknesses/diseases that killed others but couldn’t kill us, was all because God intervened on our behalf. And we must show gratitude to Him. 1 Peter 2:21-25, Isaiah 53:6.

3. He redeems us from destructions: Everyday of your life, you must take stock and bless the Lord. You go out and come in safely because it is the Lord who delivers you from becoming victims of the numerous accidents we see on our roads and communities. John 10:10, Psalm 86:13.

4. He crowns us with loving-kindness: God’s tenderness and consideration towards us makes Him always ready to receive us even when fail Him by being disobedient. His patient love always provides us with an opportunity to reconcile with Him again. And we must be very grateful for that. Psalm 107:43, Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 40:11.

5. He crowns us with tender mercies: God has been merciful to all of us and we must thank Him for that. Our Heavenly Father knows our weaknesses and sins. He shows mercy when He forgives us of our sins and helps us return to dwell in His presence. But for His mercies, where will some of us be? Let’s be grateful to Him for showing us mercies. Lamentations 3:21-24.

6. He satisfies our mouth with good things. We’re able to perform so well in school, workplaces, etc because the Lord has gifted us with words of wisdom. Others get surprise anytime we talk because they feel we’re filled with an uncommon knowledge. It isn’t because we read but because the Lord has blessed us with such. We must be thankful to Him. 1 Corinthians 4:7, Philippians 4:19.

7. He renews our youth like the eagle: God provides us with the strength to withstand all the adversities that come our way, making us fearless and majestic just like the eagle. We must thank Him for such privileges. Isaiah 40:31.

Beloved, you don’t need any motivation to thank the Lord. Feeling and expressing appreciation is good for us. Like any wise father, God wants us to learn to be thankful for all the gifts He has given us (James 1:17). It is in our best interest to be reminded that everything we have is a gift from Him. Without gratefulness, we become arrogant and self-centered. We begin to believe that we have achieved everything on our own. Showing gratitude keeps our hearts in right relationship to the Giver of all good gifts.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word. We say that we’re very sorry for failing to thank You for all the things You do for us. Father, we also ask that henceforth, You cause us to remember to offer praises and thanksgiving for the privileges, honors and opportunities You bring our way. In Jesus Christ name we’ve prayed. Amen.