“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
The Word of God teaches that it’s the duty of every believer to always give thanks to God. Thanksgiving should not be limited to special occasions or certain days on the calendar because giving thanks to God refers to the attitude of the believer’s heart. The Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 86, reads as follows: “Since, then, we are redeemed from our misery by grace through Christ, without any merit of ours, why must we do good works? Because Christ, having redeemed us by His blood, also renews us by His Holy Spirit after His own image, that with our whole life we show ourselves thankful to God for His blessing…” For the Christian, thanksgiving is every moment of everyday, and it continues throughout eternity. “So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations” (Psalm 79:13). As the redeemed of Christ, we must give thanks to the Lord at all times, without exception. “Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever and ever! Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!” (Nehemiah 9:5)
Scripture also teaches that we must give thanks for everything; not only for the pleasant things that God gives to richly enjoy, but also for the unpleasant things. Job said, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept evil? The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). We also read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks.” We are to be thankful always and for all things.
Something else the Word of God teaches us is that at the heart of all true thanksgiving must be praise to God for His grace, mercy, and love shown to us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15: “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift,” and Christ is the gift the Apostle Paul is referring to. Just think of the well-known verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ is the unspeakable gift, the only begotten Son, given to redeem sinners from the guilt and consequences of their sins. True thanksgiving is not rooted simply in the material things we receive from God. True thanksgiving is rooted in God who sends everything — good and bad — for His glory and the salvation of all those He has given to His Son, Jesus Christ (John 6:37). As we read in Lamentations 3:37-38: “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?”
Nevertheless, God uses all these things, at every moment of every day, for the eternal, spiritual good of all those who trust in Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, as redeemed sinners, we can and must give thanks to God at all times and in every situation because we know that in Christ, God is working all things together for our salvation and with this we must be content. Are there times and situations when your thanksgiving is not heard in heaven? If the darkest providence you could imagine came upon you today would you say, “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will give thanks to the God of my salvation”? Take time today to give thanks to God for all He has done for you in Christ Jesus, and begin cultivating a thankful life to the glory and praise of God!