Thanksgiving is the combination of two words- thanks and giving. Turning the words around, we have giving thanks. This is just what God requires from us as his children. Even human being wants a fellow human to show appreciation whenever they do something tangible to them. Thanks is an expression of appreciation for something we got from someone or God. And as humans, when we do something for someone and the person fails to appreciate or express gratitude in return, we tend to do 2 things
1. Challenge the person and make him know he is ungrateful.
2. Decide within us not to ever help such a person again. We feel he wasted our efforts by not showing gratitude.
Appreciation Definition according to the dictionary is “A good feeling that you have towards someone who has helped you,” — Merriam Webster.
THANKSGIVING IS AN EXPRESSION DEMONSTRATED THROUGH SEVERAL MEANS BUT NOT LIMITED TO-
1. An heartfelt appreciation
2. An action that portrays the expression through giving
a. Quality Worship.
b. Praise.
c. Substance/sacrifice.
d. deliberate attitude of goodness.
We may be wondering, Who do we give thanks to?
1. God- He deserves to be given thanks to now and then. If we value what he does for us every day of our life can we pay for it? He is nothing too much from us than for us to appreciate Him for his doing.
2. Man or Anyone that helps us- Our thanks can be divided in this manner ·
Our parents- they are the channels we pass through into this world. They got options of aborting when we were conceived in our mother’s womb, and at birth, they could have abandoned us in the cold weather for us to die. For taking care of us thus far they deserve to be appreciated. ·
Helpers- anyone who contributes one good thing or the other for the sake of our development deserves to be appreciated. At times animals like dogs could help rescue us from dangers.
Who are those that are expected to give thanks?
All that is living. Plants also give thanks
Why do people fail to give thanks?
1. lack of knowledge of God's doing.
2. lack of knowledge of the scriptures which is God's word.
3. Lack of the power of God, how mighty he is, what he is capable of doing.
4. Believing that a thanksgiving is an act that is demonstrated after receiving or benevolent alone?
NO, it is also done in faith and anticipation of God's faithfulness that never fails. For example, a child makes a request to his father and before he receives it, he is already appreciating him. This pushes the father to get the request done by all means.
Is giving thanks restricted to a particular place?, the Church, Worship Centre etc? NO, you can give thanks wherever you find yourself.
When do you give thanks morning or afternoon? ·
All the time without specification.
· In difficult times When you are afraid and don’t know what to do next.
· When you need help and you are expectant of God's favour and favour from men.
· When you remember God's goodness, as long as you are alive.
Benefits of Thanksgiving.
1.It is means of pleasing God.
2. It evokes wholesomeness
3. Furthermore, it causes an abundance of rain
4. Likewise, it’s one of the best ways to provoke answers to prayer and a way to release God's blessing.
5. Overcome asking amiss difficulty
6. It provokes Multiplication, glorification, abundance.
Some dangers of not being thankful
1. It displeases God.
2. It depreciates peoples and hinder them from getting more blessings.
3. It causes worries: anyone who doesn’t know how to give thanks will always worry over everything in life.
4. it deprives people of wholesomeness.
Conclusion
Make it a habit to always give thanks to God, and appreciate people for their support. My appreciation goes out to every content writer. I will do a list of some of those am indebted to in my next short post.
We should be thankful to God every moment of our life, from waking up to resting at night. We should be thankful for His protection, provision and perpetual love all the time. See the wonders of God for being grateful everyday. A thankful heart is a blissful heart.