Gratitude Part I | Expressed Thanksgiving

Psalms 100:4 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalms 106:1 “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Ephesians 5:20 “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

There is a universal feeling of thankfulness that we all experience.  We all feel thankful at moments in our life.  When good things happen or we are finishing up a season that has been rough, we are thankful.  We all have emotions of gratitude, but when it comes to expressing thanks to others, it often doesn’t come naturally or effortlessly.  But when gratitude is not expressed, it conveys a message in the relationship with the other person of not seeing or recognizing that person, or their efforts in serving.  And if you were to bring up the subject of one’s unexpressed thanksgiving, it makes you feel uncomfortable (could I at least get a thank you).  

Unexpressed thanksgiving leaves people often feeling “taken for granted.”  One may feel thankful but unexpressed thankfulness is experienced as ingratitude to the other person in the relationship.  It is the expression of thanksgiving that leaves one feeling appreciated and accepted, not the emotion of gratitude.  Hearts naturally gravitate toward recognition and gratitude.

Luke 17:11 – 19 “Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

• The nine missed the opportunity to express their thanks even though they were probably grateful.  (As parents, we make sure our children give thanks when receiving something)

• Unexpressed Thanksgiving communicates ingratitude.  Gratitude we feel but don’t express is felt by the other person as unappreciated.

• Unexpressed Thanksgiving feels like rejection.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”? I mean like the other 9, the man was already healed of his leprosy from the time they went to show themselves to the priest. But when Jesus says to this one man, "Your faith has made you well," he wasn’t just talking about physical healing; he was talking about a spiritual one, a mental one. He was made whole.

We too are made whole by our thanksgiving. Psychologists today tell us that sincere gratitude - thanksgiving, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Hans Selye, who is considered the father of stress studies, has said that gratitude produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life.  A thankful heart will draw others to us and us to others.  Thanksgiving is not only good for the giver but also good for the receiver.  God appreciates our thanksgiving. It lifts Him up and glorifies Him. And thanksgiving draws us closer to Him. If we are not grateful, if we do not express our thanksgiving, then it can have the opposite effect. In Romans 1:21 Paul says, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."  This passage seems to imply that people who are ungrateful to God will soon fall away - their hearts will become hardened. 

Thanksgiving can be expressed in more than one way.  You say thank you to God when you:

1) Spend time with Him. 

2) When you forgive others.

3) When you serve in His body and the community.

4) When you share His Plan of salvation.

5) When you reach out to hurting people.

6) When you give God the best of your Time, Talent, and Tithes.

7) When you praise Him enthusiastically from the heart.

Thanksgiving not only benefits you, but it benefits others as well.  It makes life better!

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