The Thanksgiving
Solution
By T. M.
Moore Published Date: November 18, 2012
For although they knew God, they did
not honor him as God or give thanks… Romans 1:21
We conclude this series on “The
Thanksgiving Solution” with the same passage of Scripture with which we began.
You will recall that we saw ingratitude as the hinge by which unbelievers turn
away from God and descend into His wrath, as He gives them up to deeper and
deeper snares of sin and corruption.
Ingratitude leads to rebellion, drifting from God, and the inevitable
consequences of a life of sin. But
to what might the practice of thanksgiving lead? If failing to give thanks marks the pathway to separation
from God, can thanksgiving light the way to a deeper knowledge and love for the
Lord?
I believe this is so, and the
reasons for it should be obvious.
First, since we can only grow in the practice of thanksgiving as we grow
in our relationship with God, the desire to be obedient in giving
thanks in all circumstances will lead us to spend more time with the Lord,
meditating in His Word and seeking Him in prayer. We can’t “gin up” thanksgiving just because we want to; it
must flow from within our minds and hearts, where the knowledge of God and love
for Him are faithfully nurtured through the disciplines of Scripture and
prayer. So the more we long to practice
thanksgiving, the more we will turn to Scripture and prayer as the wellspring
of this discipline.
Further, the more we practice
thanksgiving, the more aware we will become of the blessings of God on every
hand. The whole cosmos depends on
the Word of God, and He is manifesting His glory and power in every part of it
(Ps. 19:1-4). As we reflect on the
everyday blessings of God, our understanding of His wisdom, might, beauty,
goodness, and love will grow. The
more these grow, the better we will know Him, and the more inclined we will be
to give Him thanks and praise, thus reinforcing what is becoming an upward
spiral of growth in the knowledge of God.
The more we learn of the Lord through
thanksgiving, the more we will want to know of Him by every other means. All the disciplines whereby we grow in
the knowledge of God—our daily devotions, public worship, reading and
meditation—will be strengthened and enlarged, so that we might gain greater
access to His glory. God will draw
us to Himself as we walk in obedience to His Word; when we seek Him with all
our hearts, He will be found of us, and no small part of that seeking entails
faithful obedience in giving thanks.
If you wish to know the will of God
for your life, begin by giving thanks.
If you wish to grow in the knowledge of God, which is eternal life (Jn.
17:3), persevere in giving thanks.
Thanksgiving is the solution for spiritual confusion, anxiousness of
soul, and uncertainty of direction in life. Thanksgiving enlarges our souls,
enriches our daily experience, and extends the grace and goodness of God to
fellow members of the believing community. Is it possible that a lack of thanksgiving is keeping you
from a more fulfilling experience of Jesus Christ? A more joyful and peaceful walk with the Lord? Greater faithfulness in seeking
Him? Indeed, it may well be.
Thanksgiving
is the solution to a multitude of spiritual ills, but we must be willing to
take the medicine. Do not wait to
feel thankful before you begin practicing thanksgiving as a way of life. And don’t wait to be invited to give
thanks; let thanksgiving rise from you naturally, sweetly, specifically, and
consistently at every opportunity, in every situation. Your Christian life will be
dramatically transformed if you will take Paul’s simple exhortation to heart:
“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus
Christ.”
For this or other
devotions by T.M. Moore, please visit the ColsonCenter.org or click on the
following link:
This week we’ll
continue reading through Second Corinthians, Chapters 5 – 8.
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