The Power of a Thankful HeartSample

Thanks-living: A Thankful Lifestyle Must Start in the Heart

  It’s a command, a way we are to live, and it is found in Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV). The context of this verse is tucked into a passage that instructs us in different ways we are to live. For example, in those few verses we are told to understand what the will of the Lord is, to be filled with the Spirit, and to sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord — among other things. And as God’s people, among these important directives, we are enjoined to give thanks always for all things.  That, of necessity, must emerge from a thankful heart — you can’t sincerely give thanks unless you are sincerely thankful. 

In this verse, thanksgiving means thanks-living — a way of life that is expressed from the inside out. It reflects a believer’s heavenly perspective that focuses on all they have, not all they don’t or still want. A thankful heart is a selfless heart because it focuses on the Giver in appreciation for all He has given. It is a life of gratitude that motivates the same selfless goodwill toward others.