Saturday 3 January

Living with Thanksgiving

Scripture Reference:

Psalm 100:1-5

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.² Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. ³ Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. ⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 42:4-5

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. ⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-19

¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.

Psalm 100 encourages us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise—not because our circumstances are good, but because He is. There’s no better way to start the new year than to thank God for who He is and all He’s done for us. Thank God for your home, your car, or the job you love. Tell Him you’re grateful for the air you breathe, your good health, or the family that drives you crazy. Tell Him thank you for giving you guidance and encouragement through His word in the Bible. And thank Him for sending His son Jesus to die a death. He didn’t deserve to give you the gift of eternal life that you could never earn. 

When we thank God, we recognize His power, presence, and provision in our lives. It changes the way we perceive Him, and it changes the way we see our circumstances. Even when things are hard, it’s impossible to sit and wallow in all the negativity when you’re praising God. Giving God thanks forces us to turn from our inward pain and look up at Him. When our eyes are focused on Him, all we can see is His bigness, reminding us that none of our problems are too big for our mighty God. 

By praising God first, we change how we approach God. Saying thank you for what we have before asking for something else allows us to align our hearts with His. It helps us find a posture of humility and removes our sense of entitlement so that even if we don’t get what we ask for, we are reminded of His character, promises, and love for us. Starting a prayer by thanking God is a form of surrender. It’s a willing confession that it’s not about us but all about Him. It shifts our focus toward Heaven and deepens our affection for our God.