Apicontent

The sign in front of a small country church caught my eye: “It’s not happy people who are the most thankful. Rather it’s thankful people who are the most happy.”

The power of giving thanks to transform any situation is still something of a mystery. When someone gave thanks in the Bible, a miracle often followed. Jesus gave thanks before He broke the five loaves and two fish to feed the five thousand (Mat 18:19-21). He lifted His eyes to heaven and gave thanks to His Father before calling the four-day-dead Lazarus to come forth from his tomb (John 11:38-44).

But gratitude doesn’t always come naturally. Just ask any parent. We have to teach our children to be thankful. In much the same way, God trains His children. We see in the Old Testament that He created rituals and celebrations to teach thankfulness.

When we give thanks to God, we experience something even more powerful—His grace. Our word “grateful” comes from an old English word “grate,” which means “thanks.” “Grateful” is also related to the word grace.

The Greek word commonly translated “grace” in the Bible is charis. Grace describes God’s unmerited favor to us through Jesus Christ. Charis, or grace, can also mean gratitude. “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly…with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude [charis] in your hearts” (Col 3:16 NIV).

Charis is the very substance of our salvation. “For it is by grace [charis] you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…(Ephesians 2:8 AMP). How exciting to think that as we practice gratitude, we breathe new life into our understanding of God’s amazing grace!

However, it requires something of a fight to remain thankful when life is hard. To walk in God’s grace in our broken, and sometimes hostile world. Peter reminded a church that was being heavily persecuted to hold onto “the true grace of God” and “to stand firm” in this wonderful, gratitude-infused grace (1 Peter 5:12).

I believe that as we become more and more thankful, we just might discover that we’re also becoming happier!

Can practicing thankfulness actually improve your health? Some seem to think so. I read about a study in which participants were asked to list the things for which they were thankful. They were instructed to time the writing of their gratitude list and sustain this exercise for exactly five minutes. Sounds a little like weightlifting, doesn’t it?

The results of the study showed that those who practiced sustained gratitude for just five minutes experienced a sharp rise in their disease-fighting antibodies. These antibodies remained elevated for several hours!

Being thankful can improve our mental health as well. The Bible teaches us that a thankful heart is also a joyful heart. Joy comes when we spend time with Jesus: “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28 NIV).

The Greek word for “joy” in this particular verse, euphrosune, comes from two words that mean “good” and “mind.” In other words, a sound mind. Joy springs from a healthy mind when we’re connected to Jesus. Just spending time in His presence can be healing. Such good news!

When we practice being thankful, we also become more aware of Jesus and all His blessings. This naturally (and supernaturally) increases our joy. And who doesn’t want more joy? It’s a language anyone can understand.

The story is told of missionaries who went to a tiny village in a faraway place. Even before they became fluent in the native language, some villagers approached them wanting to hear more about “this Jesus” after hearing the sounds of joyful laughter coming from the missionaries’ tent.

So today, let’s exercise our “thank you muscles.” This, in turn, will help us be filled with joy. Let’s pray now that thirsty people—especially those who may not even know what they’re thirsty for—will be drawn to our joy.

Above all, let’s pray they are drawn to our Jesus who gives us this joy!

I remember an old Tarzan movie in which the famed ape man was peering at a droplet of water through a microscope. Tarzan was shocked to see the water was teeming with microorganisms invisible to the naked eye.

What if we could peer into the spiritual world? Like Tarzan, I imagine we’d be shocked to see the real source of our battles. The Bible tells of an atmosphere filled with invisible enemies.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood…but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)

Scripture doesn’t describe this realm in great detail. It does, however, tell us how to fight. We’re told to put on our “spiritual armor” (Ephesians 6:10-20). To “submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).

Giving thanks can be a strategic weapon in our spiritual battles. We see Paul and Silas singing and praising God in a Philippian jail after being severely beaten and chained. Their chains fell off, the jailer accepted Jesus, and his whole family became believers! (Acts 16:19-24).

The children of Israel sang praises right in the middle of a huge battle: “Give thanks to the Lord; His faithful love endures forever!” The Lord caused the enemy to fight among themselves and God’s people won an astounding victory! (2 Chronicles 20:21-22).

Perhaps you’re facing a spiritual battle today. You’ve resisted, prayed, and fought the good fight. But you’re weary. Maybe this is your strategic moment to thank God.

Let God fight this battle for you. Rest in His power. Remember, the devil and his minions hate childlike trust. If you stand firm in your faith and continue to thank God, the devil will eventually have to flee. After all, he is allergic to praise.

Thankful. One simple word—thankful—emblazoned across the front of a woman’s t-shirt, caught my eye. There was a period at the end of what wasn’t even a sentence. Thankful. So, I guess you could read it this way: “Thankful, period.” I would like that to describe me. I’m thankful. Period.

But I have to confess. Sometimes I’m less than thankful. Maybe I am not paying enough attention to my blessings or perhaps I’m taking God’s benefits for granted.

David and I have a dear friend from Africa, one of the most joyful believers I’ve ever known. He once spoke words that jolted me out of my spiritual lethargy. A survivor of Rwanda’s genocide, he had seen more death and destruction than I could possibly imagine.

“Do you have all your arms and legs—your limbs?” he asked us. “Then you are blessed!” “Do you have your eyes, your sense of hearing, your ability to speak? Then praise God and give Him thanks. Rejoice and count your amazing blessings!” he exclaimed. From his perspective, it was incredible simply to be alive. Healthy. Not maimed by war. Reason to rejoice!

Stop for a minute and reflect on the many benefits you enjoy simply because you don’t live in an area ravaged by war. Do you have all your limbs? Can you walk? Are you able to see and hear and talk? Then, as our friend would say, “Rejoice at your great blessings!”

His words challenged me to become more intentional about giving thanks to the Lord for my blessings. And to resist complaining about petty annoyances.

Next time you’re tempted to grumble, pause, and take a look at your hands and feet—and be thankful. Reflect upon the ability to walk and see and hear. Count the ways God has poured His grace upon you.

Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits. (Psalm 103:2 ESV)

One day I was outside on my deck enjoying the quiet when suddenly, two fighter jets flew overhead at a very low altitude. Their roar was deafening. Everything around me shook violently. Now I surmised the two massive military jets were part of the game opener at a nearby football stadium, so I wasn’t overly alarmed. Even so, I was overwhelmed by their sound and speed. By their sheer power!

Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes and I got a lump in my throat. Now I admit to having a soft spot for our military, but this went far deeper. It was if God himself whispered to me, “You need not fear anything, for I AM far stronger than these mighty, fighter jets.”

This verse suddenly came to mind: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 NKJV).

The word behold means “to see or to gaze upon.” It dawned on me that beholding is connected to thankfulness. If I want to develop a thankful heart, I need to spend time “beholding” God. Simply put, I need to “gaze upon Him.”

Those fighter jets were so close I could easily behold their power. In much the same way, the closer I get to God, the better I can behold His awesomeness.

Friend, are you awestruck by God? By His Word? As my prayer partner often reminds me, “We should “glance at our problems, but gaze on God’s promises.”

We need to draw near to God each day. Reflect on the many promises in His Word. When we truly behold His glory, we will find that fear, discouragement, and hopelessness flee. Then our hearts will swell with thankfulness to our glorious Lord!

It’s hard to be thankful for something you think you deserve. The world is full of people who believe their parents, their schools, or society owe them something.

Such was not the case with my friend Becky. She had been born with a birth defect that left her just under 4 feet tall. But I forgot about her disability the minute I met her. Becky’s face was beautiful—but it was her regal grace, her cheerfulness, and her thankful spirit that I most remember. I have only a dim recollection of her hunched back and deformed legs.

Becky’s inner strength and trust in the Lord left me wanting to know her secret. I was in my early twenties and a young bride when we first met. Becky was married and well into her forties. She had a thorough knowledge of Scripture and was one of the best Bible teachers I have ever known.

As I got to know her better, I learned that Becky’s joyful spirit was at least partially due to how her wise parents had raised their disabled daughter. “If my mother and father noticed I didn’t seem grateful, or if my attitude became selfish, they’d tell me that I must have too many blessings,” she said with a chuckle. “So they’d cut back on gifts and privileges for a while until I showed a little more gratitude for what I had.”

Becky’s words have remained with me all these years later—I can almost hear her gently warning me not to take the blessings of this life for granted. I sometimes wonder if God is anything like Becky’s wise and loving parents who refused to encourage self-pity in their disabled daughter?

Let’s remind ourselves of this powerful encouragement to remain thankful, straight from God’s Word. No matter what difficult trials we may be going through, giving thanks honors God and puts us more in touch with His presence.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6b NIV)

How often do you approach your prayer time with a thankful heart? If I’m honest with myself, I often lead with my list of needs without taking time to reflect on the many prayers God has already answered. Paul reminds us that our “prayers and petitions” go hand in hand with a thankful heart.

One way to have a thankful heart is to lower my expectations. This may sound like I’m dialing down my hopes and dreams—which I’m not. I’m simply trying focus first on God’s breathtaking blessings. I want to approach God with a sense of humility rather than entitlement. One Christian author said it well: “You’re never thankful for that which you think you deserve.” If I think God owes me, I’ll live in a constant state of discontent. Life without gratitude is barren and thirsty.

There’s a quaint old saying to express joyful surprise. You may remember it. “Lo and behold!” A person might say, “Lo and behold! There’s my cousin Sarah. I haven’t seen her in years!”

A woman shared with me how her grandmother helped her understand the meaning of “Lo and behold.” “Grandma told me that ‘lo and behold’ means your expectations are ‘low’ that what you pray for will come true. Then, ‘Behold!’ and ‘Thank you God!’ when it does happen!”

I like her grandma’s folksy wisdom. So, I’ll continue to dream big and trust God with my fervent prayers and heart’s desires. But I will try to keep my expectations “low.” And I’ll look forward to “beholding” what God will do.

The Bible teaches He’s a God of wonder and majesty. He is also full of surprises. Beholding His goodness never fails to fill my heart with thankfulness.

Willie Myrick is one of my heroes. When he was just ten, Willie was kidnapped by a knife-wielding assailant. The curious youngster had reached down to pick up a ten-dollar bill the kidnapper left as “bait,” when suddenly, the man jumped from behind a tree and forced Willie into the car.

Speeding across town, the man spewed profanity and threats. The frightened ten-year-old decided to sing his favorite worship song, “Every Praise.” When Willie was later asked why he sang this particular song, he answered, “Well, because I knew that Jesus was gonna be with me and he was gonna get me out!” During that ordeal, thanksgiving and praise became Willie’s spiritual weapons.

Willie continued to sing—for three hours! Finally, the man stopped the car and shoved him out unharmed. Just imagine the faith of this young boy. Instead of dissolving into tears or panic, he worshiped and praised God! Willie’s victory over the darkness inspired me to make every effort to respond to worry with praise and thanksgiving.

Soon after I read Willie’s story, a very troubling situation in our family tempted me to fall into intense fear. Suddenly, an old hymn came to mind. The words to “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” poured forth like a warrior’s march. I began to thank God for His power.

Sure enough, my fear was broken. What’s more, the situation that had worried me so much actually resolved itself. Now when a problem stubbornly persists, I remind myself that young Willie kept singing for three hours before he was released!

“Rejoice always,” the Bible reminds us. “Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).

Let’s dare to form a new habit—thanking God right in the midst of our trials. Praise helps us stand our ground in the face of the enemy. Why not take a lesson from a brave ten-year-old and become people of praise!

Adapted from: Marilynn Chadwick, Woman of Valor: Discovering the Courage and Strength God Gave You (Eugene: Harvest House, 2017).

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Sometimes we move so fast, it’s easy to blow past the ordinary blessings God sends each day. Who has time to drink in the magic of the blue sky? Or be thankful for the beauty all around us? And when was the last time you took an extra minute to look into the eyes of your husband, or children, or friends?

The Greek word in the New Testament for thankful, eulogeo, can also be translated “blessing.” Eulogeo comes from eu which means “good,” and logeo, or “to speak”. Eulogeo literally means “to speak that which is good.” So, a eulogy is how we honor someone with good words of gratitude. When we say a blessing, eulogeo, before our meal, we are also expressing thankfulness.

I am trying to become more thankful for the ordinary things in life. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for practical tips to become more watchful and grateful. Here are some small ways I’ve discovered to increase my gratitude and reinforce what I refer to as my “thank you habit.”

On your drive to school or work (or wherever it is that you go each day), why not take the scenic route? Refresh your soul as you give thanks for God’s natural beauty. I often travel by way of the lovely tree-lined hill leading to the back roads of our neighborhood instead of the crowded main roads.

Find ways to enjoy little breaks throughout your day. Experts recommend about a half hour of sunshine daily to keep up our vitamin D supply. Why not pick a pretty spot and take a book? Or your Bible. Or go for a walk. A friend of mine carves out what she calls “Sabbath moments” every day, usually outdoors. She returns to her work more rested, alert, and thankful.

Maintain a daily quitting time. Plan to do something fun with family or friends. Read a good book by an open fire. Take a bath filled with essential oils. Stop your work and savor some downtime. Remember, rest is God’s idea so give Him thanks.

Stop multitasking. That was the best piece of advice a counselor gave to my stressed-out friend who was seeking help. Easier said than done—especially for busy parents. But try to focus on each person or task with your whole attention, the counselor urged. Then you can take time to truly enjoy every blessing and practice thankfulness. Besides, research shows the value of multi-tasking is an illusion—it’s far less efficient than we think.

Finally, keep a thank-you journal. List your blessings at the end of each day. Be on the lookout for answers to your prayers and thank God when they happen.

How many little blessings do you simply miss because you are speeding through life?