There are certain words that are very difficult to say in this world of ours. These are made difficult simply because they affect our egos and pride. To name just two of them, “sorry and thank you”. They are difficult and affect one’s ego because sorry, means you admit to being wrong and thank you, you admit to have needed help or what ever it is that you received from the other person. Today I want us to talk about saying thank you to God. What does the word of God say about this? Well, let’s find out?
We all go through problems in life. We all go through some hardship in life. While some are created by our own doing, some are created and allowed by God to discipline us.
Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESVST)
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hardships leads to perseverance, perseverance leads to patience, patience leads to faith, faith leads to hope and hope to eternal glory. The point here is this, when we go through problems or hardships, we forget to give praise and give thanks to God. We concentrate on the problem we have instead of what God has given us already. I am sure that at this stage you are saying to yourself, this Tshepo must be smoking something, how can I be thankful for problems in my life? I am not saying that, what I am saying is that, instead of concentrating on the problem and stressing yourself to death, you rather can concentrate on what God has already done for you about this problem. Example, your house burns down while you are at work. You get a call to come home, you rush home instantly because you know that at that time, your kids are already at home. You get home, you find your kids outside the house safe and sound because their taxi got stuck in traffic so, they were late. Instead of giving praise and thanks to God for your kids, you complain about the house.
In every situation that you go through, there is always something that God has done already about the problem and is still going to do about it. Instead of concentrating on the problem, give thanks to God that it could have been worse. Even if you have absolutely nothing, you can still give raise and thanks to God for your life. There is always something to be thankful for, no matter what the circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESVST)
Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Giving thanks, is the will of God. Now, let’s look at a practical example of being thankful to God.