Thanksgiving All Year Long

While our country acknowledges thanksgiving as a holiday one Thursday every year in November, God’s people are to be thankful all year long. We have days when we are in the valleys of life and times when we are facing unfavorable circumstances and yet we can still be of good cheer as those who are victorious (John 16:33). The psalmist encourages us to enter God’s. courts with thanksgiving and with praise (Psalm 100:4). David gave thanks to God for his goodness and unending love (1 Chr. 16:34). Paul tells us that God’s wrath is poured out on the unthankful as their hearts are darkened (Rom. 1:21) but Christians are to give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus (Eph. 5:20).

Rather than limit our thanksgiving to one time a year, let us be those who give thanks to God all year long. May we be those who thank God forever for everything that he has done in our lives and for all that we trust him to do in the future (Psa. 52:9). As we contemplate thanksgiving this week, here are a few things we should remember to be thankful for as God’s children:

• The forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7; Hebrews 8:12)
• Fellowship with God and with other Christians (1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:3)
• A home in heaven in eternity (1 Peter 1:3-5)
• Adoption into God’s family (Eph. 1:5)
• Every good and perfect gift showered down on us from above (James 1:17)
• Good weather, fruitful seasons, happy times, and good memories (Acts 14:17)
• The comfort God provides for us in hard times (2 Cor. 1:3-5)
• The Scriptures that direct our steps and bless our lives (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
• The measure of health we have (3 John 2)
• The coming resurrection (Philippians 3:20-21)
• For open doors and opportunities (1 Cor. 16:9; Colossians 4:2-3)
• Answered prayers (Psalm 65:2)
• God taking bad things in our lives and using them for good (Gen. 50:19-21; Romans 8:28)

This list is not exhaustive, because God’s goodness and praiseworthiness cannot be exhausted. However, let us be always thinking of all the things we have to thank God for and then be sure to express it to him. “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1)