Christian Thankfulness

What is the difference between Christian thankfulness and ‘normal’ thankfulness? Is there any distinction? I think so; more importantly, the Bible teaches so. Consider the following differences.

Christian thankfulness includes more reasons to be thankful

Christians are thankful for many of the same reasons as everyone else: They are thankful for loving relatives, for good food, for pleasant weather, and the like. But Christians should also be thankful for eternal reasons.

The Apostle Paul commands Christians in Colossians 1:12 to be “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light”. True Christians have been promised eternal life in heaven with God and with the saints. They have been qualified for this because Jesus Christ died on a cross to save them from their sins (2 Cor. 5:21).

Christians have been given all the more reason to be thankful; for this reason, their thankfulness should be deeper and wider and richer thank it would otherwise be. Gratitude ought to be a permanent state for the Christian, not a temporary feeling.

Christians are thankful to God

Christians should be thankful to other human beings who have done them good; but they are even more thankful to God. The Bible teaches that in God, “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We owe him not just for the seasons and the crops and such things, but even for our very lives. He is the author of our being, and we are alive because he gives us life.

Thankfulness for a Christian all begins with thankfulness to God, who is the great creator and the source of all good things (James 1:17-18). Therefore Christians ought to remember to give thanks to God at all times.

Christian thankfulness primarily finds expression in prayer

Bible passages which talk about thankfulness often put it alongside prayer. Philippians 4:6 “…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”. The Christian is not to keep their thankfulness to themselves, but they are to give thanks to God in prayer.

While it is important for Christians to give thanks to other human beings, a Christian does not stop there; in fact, they do not begin there. They begin by expressing thankfulness in prayer to God, who is the ultimate source of all good things they receive.

A helpful acronym to remember in prayer is; ACTS. A – adoration to God; C – confession for sins; T – thanksgiving; S – supplication (requests). As you see, thanksgiving takes its place as an essential aspect of regular Christian prayer.

Christian thankfulness is comprehensive

The Bible teaches something shocking about how much the Christian should give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18a says, “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances”. In all circumstances. Not some. Not most. A thorough answer to how this is possible is not feasible here. But it will suffice to say for now that to give thanks in all circumstances, a Christian must understand that what they receive is better than what they deserve.

Consider: who are the most unthankful people? People who think they have got worse than they deserve. The Bible teaches that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The more a Christian understands that they deserve only death and judgment from God, when they encounter the faintest of blessings on this earth, they will rejoice and give thanks.

And when they contemplate that God has eternal glory waiting for them, because of their faith in Jesus, they will be extraordinarily thankful.

Would you like to know more about Christian thankfulness and prayer? Please listen to this sermon on the subject:

https://www.trinitybaptistcharlesworth.co.uk/post/prayer-as-thanksgiving