“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

True thanksgiving comes from the heart and the mind. We count the many blessings God gives US. We remember what God has done for us in the past; what He is doing in the present; and what He promises for the future. To always be thankful in everything is a command. To be in God’s will, we need to be thankful.

Unthankful people murmur and complain. It is a sin to be ungrateful. God was very displeased with the Israelites when they murmured and complained against Moses and God. The Lord punished them a number of times for this. Un-thankfulness is the prelude to forgetting God and falling away from Him. “Because of that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened,” Romans 1:21.

Over and over in the book of Psalms, we are exhorted to give thanks and sing praises to God, offering thanksgiving from a humble heart. In all the adverse experiences of life, we can still be thankful and bless God for His goodness and mercy, even as Job did (Job 1:20-21).

Being thankful for people builds relationships. Husband and wives should be thankful for each other. Children should be thankful for their parents. Church members should be thankful for the ministers and the church. When we start to complain and find fault with others, our relationships deteriorate.

May God enable us to always be thankful for our many blessings. If perhaps you have family, find it in your hearts to reach out to fellowship with them. After all, this could be your last Thanksgiving here on earth.

Happy Thanksgiving.

(Min. Delores Brown (Lois) is the founder of The Prayer Faith and Healing Ministry. The website is www.prayerfaithandhealingministry.org.)