1). Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3). Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4). Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5). For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
PSALMS 100:1-5 KJV
The Bible says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). That might seem easy when life is going well. But when it’s not, expressing gratitude can be difficult.
It’s interesting to note that this instruction to thank the Lord in all things was written by Paul—the apostle whose loyalty to Christ earned him severe persecution. You might wonder how he was able to be grateful to God. The answer is that Paul knew His riches in Christ far outweighed any earthly discomfort.
Consider the blessings he so valued, which are available to all believers. First, we are invited to have a personal relationship with the one true God. Second, the Father loves us with an everlasting and unconditional love. Third, He sent His Son to die as payment for our sins so we could spend eternity with Him.
And the list of blessings keeps going: God adopts believers as His children and seals them with His Spirit (See EPHESIANS 4:30). He has a plan for each of His followers—and bestows special gifts and empowerment to make it happen. He promises to meet every need through His limitless resources and provides His Word and indwelling Spirit to guide us.
No wonder Paul was grateful! Count his blessings as your own, and let God know how appreciative you are.
-IBC
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