In the past few years, I’ve noticed many children and some adults have a spirit of entitlement. This causes them to fail to express thanks. My Mom taught her children the significance of giving thanks. She said “be thankful for anything someone does for you—big or small—because people don’t have to do anything for you. “
Thanksgiving is giving thanks to God and to people for what they have done. We express our thanks to God and to people because God is the source of all our rewards and often works through people. God and people expect and are blessed when we do.
When we thank and praise God, He blesses us with His presence, power, and provision, resulting in joy and strength. People respond to our giving them thanks with thanksgiving, happiness, and gladness.
Someone I know always responds “I’m thankful” when you ask “how are you”. Her response blesses and motivates me to reflect on my reasons to be thankful. Now my response to the question how are you has also become “I’m thankful”.
As Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee, he encountered ten lepers. They asked asked Him to have mercy on them. He instructed them to go show themselves to the priests. En route to the priests, they were cleansed of leprosy. I’m sure they all were grateful but only one of the ten returned and gave thanks to Jesus.
A church hymn’s refrain says:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
Unlike the nine lepers, let us count our blessings and express our thanks for them.
God Is Ministries, LLC 