God's Will: Practicing Thankfulness
Whether the term is thanksgiving, gratitude, praise, or thankfulness, it all points to God’s will for us. Thankfulness involves humility because it is a practical way of renouncing self-governance for God’s governance. It puts man’s heart in a position to acknowledge God’s ability in His life and break self-reliance.
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James 4:6-7
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you
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Thankfulness is explicitly God’s will for you in (and not for) everything!
God’s will starts with thankfulness, by putting His Word into practice from a heart belief anchored in a solid trust in Jesus. Many want to know God’s will for their life. Start with the written Word and let it become the Living Word as the Holy Spirit breathes on it within your heart.
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1 Thessalonians 5:18-21
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
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In context, Thankfulness stops you from suppressing or extinguishing the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. In other words, it fans the flame of cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Thankfulness keeps you from despising prophecy. Thankfulness will be what you test things with. Thankfulness will hold what is good. Thankfulness will cause you to abstain from every form of evil.
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WHAT does Thankfulness cost you?
Thankfulness costs you your will, submitted to God’s will. Relinquishing pride is a small price to pay for experiencing the reality of eternal promises in Jesus. God’s ways are better and lead us to life. God's hand is greater than what ours can produce!
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1 Peter 5:5-7
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
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WHY does Thankfulness work?
Thankfulness puts the focus on what you DO HAVE and not what you don’t. Because thankfulness is a command established by Jesus in eternity, it is a PRESENT reality at all times for us as believers! Thankfulness kills anxiety and fear of the FUTURE and destroys depression of the PAST in real time. This is a thought process at the forefront of your mind. Thankfulness gets your eyes off you and your shortcomings onto the one with none. Your mind will work for you or against you in this. Whatever you focus on increases the perceptions and awareness of your heart. When we are selfish, it becomes all about our performance and circumstance. When we choose to be thankful, we employ the death, burial, and resurrection to work on our behalf. Thankfulness is an action of faith for our thoughts to partner with the Grace Jesus has provided.
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2 Corinthians 8:12
For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
Psalm 69:30
I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
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Pray in Thankfulness
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Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
When we pray with thankfulness, we experience the supply of God’s peace, which guards our hearts and minds. Thankfulness has a reality and substance to draw from in Jesus Christ, available in perpetuity!
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Thankfulness is a relational principle with God that always points to the truth and fulfillment of promises that Jesus has established forever to all who believe.
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Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Thankfulness keeps you experiencing God’s will in your life!
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