Six Things All Christians Should be Thankful For

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving in the US. It is a day when Americans pause and reflect on their blessings and give thanks for all they have. And though it has some Christian origins, Thanksgiving is mostly a secular holiday now. It has lost its initial noble intention, and indirectly endorses some unbiblical notions.

First, thanksgiving promotes the idea of being thankful once a year. There’s nothing wrong with dedicating a particular day each year to give thanks to the Lord; the Israelites also set aside specific days for thanksgiving. But it should not be the only day we remember to be grateful. As Christians, every day must be thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

Secondly, Thanksgiving encourages gluttony. People often spend money and time to prepare sumptuous meals and then gorge themselves with it. But gluttony is a sin (Proverbs 23:20-21), and it doesn’t cease to be one on Thanksgiving Day. Our bodies are the temple of God; hence, we must always show self- control over our appetites.

Lastly, Thanksgiving is closely intertwined with Black Friday, an event that encourages discontentment. Going shopping on Black Friday has become part of the Thanksgiving tradition for most Americans. And not only is it opposite to showing gratitude, but it also goes against God’s will to be always content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5) We must be good stewards with our finances, not waste it in the endless pursuit of more (1 Timothy 6:6).

Now, I know I sound like a Thanksgiving grinch or a hater, but I am not against Thanksgiving day. I just want to encourage you to celebrate it in a way that honors God and not blindly follow traditions associated with it.

I do not celebrate Thanksgiving, but since many of my readers do, I thought I would share a few things we all should be grateful for as Christians. Here they are:

1. God’s attributes

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 100:3-4

Before we begin to thank God for His blessings, we should also take time to thank Him for who He is. God is good (Psalm 34:8), He is faithful (Lamentations 3:23), compassionate, merciful (Psalm 103:8), holy (Isaiah 6:3), loving (1 John 4:8) just, forgiving(1 John 1:9), almighty (Luke 1:27), longsuffering (2 Peter 3:9), kind, caring (1 Peter5:7) , gracious (John 3:16) and much more. Isn’t it wonderful to know that the God we serve is so amazing? He is worthy of all our praises.

2. God’s gift of salvation

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 

Psalm 95:1-2

God’s greatest gift to humankind is salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We didn’t deserve it, nor could we earn it. Yet God, who is rich in mercy, chose to forgive our sins and give us eternal life. Now we are free from the curse of sin and get to escape the punishment and death we deserved. A lifetime would never be enough to thank God for this unparalleled gift!

3. God’s eternal love

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 

1 John 3:1

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Psalm 107:21

God loves everyone, but He has a special affection for those who believe in Him. A love that adopts us into His family and makes us co-heirs with Christ. Nothing will ever separate us from that love, and it will endure forever. God doesn’t love everyone that way, and if you a recipient of His unfailing love, you should be thankful indeed.

4. God’s presence

Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:20

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalm 140:13

God is always with us. He doesn’t have to; He could have reigned from His throne in Heaven without actively getting involved in the little matters of our everyday lives. But God cares so much about us that He stays with us throughout our lives, and never gets bored with us. On the contrary, He is always ready to listen to us and guide us. And one day, we will get to stand in His physical presence and see Him face-to-face. How wonderful!

5.  God’s provision and help

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:31-33

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 28:7

No matter what happens in life, we will never lack for anything. God promises to meet all our needs. We can be like children and not worry about anything because we know our Heavenly Father will provide us. Moreover, He also promises to help us in our time of need when we approach His throne of grace in prayer. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we are always taken care of one way or the other?

6. God’s sanctification

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 1:12

Lastly, we must be thankful that God has nailed our former selves to the cross. Not only are we a new creation, but He is making us like Him: holy and perfect. He intentionally puts in situations that will sanctify us and take us from glory to glory until the final day when He finishes the good work He began in us. And on that day, we will stand holy and blameless before Him (Colossians 1:22).

There are so many other things we can thank God for beyond this list. So, praise His name with a song and magnify him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30) now and forever.

  Grace and peace to you!