A Heart Full Of ThanksgivingSample

Thanksgiving Is a Command

Don’t you find it curious when reading Philippians that Paul, while in prison and under the threat of death, commands us to “rejoice”? Not only does Paul in his dire circumstances tell us to rejoice, he says that feeling thankful is “right.” Now hold on … don’t we feel that depression, negativity, pessimism, and straightforward acts of defiance, are plain responses of justice to an event such as imprisonment? I would have to say I do. If I was Paul, and in prison, I would think the appropriate response to the situation would be despair, anger, and a well-timed temper tantrum. Yet Paul, in Philippians 1:3-11, spends his moments and days remembering the believers in Philippi, and instead of pitying himself, he cannot stop thanking God—and he “says it’s right for him to feel this way.”

As you read today, consider God’s command to “rejoice” and be thankful. It’s not a request, as if God were pleading with you. He’s commanding you to do it because it’s right, and he knows that if you obey, you will reap the ripe fruits of experiencing his presence and enjoying his peace and contentment.

Also, as you read 1 Thessolonians 5:18 consider the audacity of God to sum up his will for your life through one word, “thankfulness.” Many of you reading today are asking “what is God’s will for you?” Lucky for you, God tells you. His will is for you to be thankful. He never promised you the job, the education, the spouse, the marriage, the kids, the church, the city, or the circumstance of your dreams. All God asks, is that in whatever situation, and wherever you find yourself, that you stay thankful. Not only is this command a benefit to you, but it keeps you centered on the person of Jesus. When we think upon God and all he is, there’s no other right response than to be thankful (PSA 106:1).