Be Thankful In The Small Stuff
Being thankful in everything starts with the small stuff of life, where we can be watchful for the everyday type of issues that trigger ungrateful attitudes, like losing a parking space, or being caught in road construction or a traffic jam, or having a household appliance break downall little things that can throw our attitudes off course.
Because Psalm 100:4 encourages us to enter His gates with thanksgiving, we can choose to start each day by giving thanks to God in our everyday circumstances.
Recently our family experienced a broken washing machine. Recognizing the potential stress and inconvenience associated with unwashed clothes, and how it could affect our attitudes in a negative way, we kept attentive to the risk.
As we considered whether it could be fixed or needed replacing, instead of focusing on what we didnt have at the moment, we thanked God for all the years weve had one that works.
Through the experience, we gained a renewed appreciation for having a washing machine. With our new one, we give thanks to God on a daily basis for being able to run a load of laundry.
What Does The Bible Say About Giving Thanks In All Things
Its entirely possible and necessary to give thanks in all things.
Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thes. 5:18
You can give thanks in all things because of Gods nature and character. He is faithful. He is good. He is gracious. He is merciful. He is full of love and compassion. He does not change.
Things in life can change at any moment, but when youre filled with thanksgiving, you can weather any storm in life and come through it filled with praise and thanksgiving.
We dont always know how life will go. But we always know what Gods will for us is: Its to give thanks in light of His goodness. Because He is good and His nature does not change, we can always give thanks.
Its sometimes explained that the Bible tells us to give thanks in all things, not for all things. No one in their right mind would be thankful for evil, wickness, injustice, and oppression. But no matter what happens, we can give thanks to God and He will carry us through.
Its also possible to have many things but not be thankful. In todays world, many people have more conveniences, live longer, and have more opportunities than any other time in the history of the world. But this doesnt mean that life becomes more meaningful and fulfilling.
When we dont give thanks, we cant appreciate what I have. Were always looking for what we dont have.
Knowing God and opening to His goodness results in thankfulness.
Start Practicing Thankfulness In Prayer
A good place to start giving thanks in everything is in prayer. Colossians 4:2 urges us to keep alert in our prayers with an attitude of thankfulness.
What does it mean to keep alert? Alertness develops through recognizing situations where ungratefulness can creep into our thoughts and words without our realizing it, even seeping into our prayers.
Thankfulness in everything comes through practicing being thankful to God for His presence, peace, faithfulness, comfort, and more when facing challenges, rather than letting the difficulties be the focus of our thoughts, words, and prayers.
As Colossians 3:17 reminds, And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Take on our 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Challenge and build a foundation of gratitude through prayer!
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The Meaning Of Thanksgiving In The Bible
What is the meaning of thanksgiving in the Bible?
Thanksgiving in the Bible means to respond to Gods goodness and grace with gratitude. The word for giving thanks in the Old Testament means to raise hands to God in gratitude. The New Testament word for thanks has the root idea of grace.
The biblical definition of thanks is very rich and meaningful. Its a different way of looking at life and how God works in the world. Its based on Gods goodness towards mankind and involves responding to Him with our whole being.
In the New Testament, the word for thanks means to be thankful for Gods grace. The root word in Greek actually has the word grace in it.
When you give thanks, youre responding to Gods goodness and graciousness. Everything in the Christian life is by Gods grace, and so requires faith on our part.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psa. 136:1
In the Old Testament, the main words for thanks come from the root word which means to lift up hands. Many English translations translate the word as thanks or sometimes, praise.
What does giving thanks have to do with lifting up hands? To open and lift your hands is one response when youve been shown grace and kindness. Its a way of expressing openness to the person who gave the gift and a way of acknowledging their graciousness.
Giving thanks is a response to the nature of God. We give thanks because He is good and His love endures forever.
Bible Verses About Giving Thanks
Bible verses related to Giving Thanks from the King James Version by Relevance
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The Meaning Of Paul’s Exhortation In This Verse
We should be thankful in every condition, even in adversity as well as prosperity. It is never so bad with us but it might be worse. If we have ever so much occasion to make our humble complaints to God, we never can have any reason to complain of God, and have always much reason to praise and give thanks: the apostle says, This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us, that we give thanks, seeing God is reconciled to us in Christ Jesus in him, through him, and for his sake, he allows us to rejoice evermore, and appoints us in every thing to give thanks. It is pleasing to God.
How To Give Thanks In All Circumstances
What does the Bible say about giving thanks in all things?
You can give thanks in all things if you focus on who God is. You cant be gripped by the problems around you. You have to let Gods grace grip you instead.
When youre growing in the knowledge of God, you can give thanks in every circumstance. It doesnt matter whether you have plenty or are in need. You can have a spirit of thanksgiving that carries you into Gods heart for your life.
- Giving thanks is sometimes an act of faith. Its an act of trust in a loving heavenly Father. Its believing that what the Bible says about Him is true.
- Giving thanks makes you to look to God instead of whats going on in the world around you. Instead of meditating on your problems, thanksgiving looks at what is good, encouraging, and life-giving.
- Giving thanks is a way of letting go of the things in your life. Letting go is a choice. Its a way of lifting up your hands to God and looking to Him instead. This is the definition of the word used in the Old Testament for thanksgiving .
God upholds all things , so instead of grasping after the things in your life, let God uphold you.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things
Phil 4:8
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Thessalonians : 18 Popular Translations
“Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – Common English Bible
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward.” – American Standard Version
“Be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.” – Good News Translation
“Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.” – God’s Word Translation
“Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” – The Message Bible
It seems like God is asking too much of us, especially during times of great disappointments, tremendous losses, or unbearable heartaches. Its hard for us to comprehend how we are supposed to give thanks during these types of difficulties and challenges.
To help you in thanking God, we created a 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide HERE. Download and print this guide to keep with you as a reminder of God’s love and promises.
Bible Verses About Praise And Thanksgiving
Did you know thereâs a slight difference between praise and thanksgiving?
In Bible verses about praise and thanksgiving, what we see is that giving thanksgiving is generally about thanking God for what he has done for you, whereas praise focuses more on praising God for who he is.
Did you catch the difference?
Read it one more time.
As you thank God for what he has done, use these verses below to help you praise him for who he is.
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Bible Verses About Thanks
To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,And call upon the name of the Lord.
Enter His gates with thanksgivingAnd His courts with praise.Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgivingAnd pay your vows to the Most High
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgivingAnd declare all Your wonders.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,And will glorify Your name forever.
At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to YouBecause of Your righteous ordinances.
From them will proceed thanksgivingAnd the voice of those who celebrate And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant.
I will praise the name of God with songAnd magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name Make known His deeds among the peoples.
He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
Bible Verses On Thankfulness
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Read through these Bible verses on thankfulness to fall more in love with God and cultivate a deeper heart of joy and gratitude.
Thankfulness is a common theme in the month of November, but it is so important to pursue gratitude all year long on a daily basis.
Scripture proves that to be true! It is mentioned over and over again throughout the Bible.
These are just 15 of the many Bible verses on thankfulness.
If youre looking for a way to put your heart of gratitude into action, try the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge!
There is a wonderful devotion on Christianity.com that describes the Christian Grace of Thankfulness, explaining our call as Christians to thankfulness, as well as the characteristics of thankfulness .
As you can see, the Bible verses on thankfulness dive so much deeper than just a fleeting feeling of gratitude in a blissful moment. Keep reading to learn more.
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Inspiring Bible Verses For Thanksgiving
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Psalm 107:1 – Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 7:17 – I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Ephesians 5:20 – Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Psalm 50:14 – Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
Colossians 3:15 – And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Hebrews 13:15 – Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Psalm 100:4 – Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him bless his name!
Use our 30 Daily Devotionals for Thankfulness to refocus your life in gratitude to God! Save this PDF and share it with your loved ones!
Give Thanks In Everything Vs For Everything
The misunderstanding comes in thinking were supposed to give thanks for everything when God is leading us to give thanks in everything.
Its a concept some of us struggle with and resist, thinking God is telling us to be thankful for the difficulties. This makes us miss what He is really leading us to do, which is to be thankful despite the problems, to not let disappointments, failures, losses, and hurts keep us from being thankful to Him.
During tumultuous times, God asks us to focus on Him and His faithfulness to us, rather than on our circumstances to dwell on His promise to never leave or forsake us , and to trust Him to help us in every situation we face in life.
How do we begin to give thanks in everything?
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What The Bible Says About Giving Thanks
Psalm 95:2 – Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
1 Chronicles 16:34 – Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good for his steadfast love endures forever!
Luke 6:38 – Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.â
Psalm 69:30 – I will praise the name of God with a song I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
2 Corinthians 9:15 – Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
1 Timothy 2:1 – First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 – For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
2 Corinthians 4:15 – For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
1 Chronicles 16:8 – Oh give thanks to the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the peoples!
What is your favorite Bible verse for Thanksgiving? Share it in the comments below and encourage others in our community!
Thanksgiving Bible Verses About Praise
Colossians 3:16âLet the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.â
Hebrews 12:28-29“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.'”
1 Chronicles 16:23-26“Sing to the Lord, all the earth proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.”
1 Chronicles 29:13“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.”
Hebrews 13:15“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Psalm 28:7“The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Psalm 56:4“In God, whose word I praiseâin God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Psalm 69:30“I will praise the name of God with a song I will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 100:4“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise give thanks to him and praise his name.”
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