Give Thanks

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​1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 says:
 
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

“Give thanks in everything” this scripture tells us. At this time of year, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is the time of year when families and friends come together to share a feast, spend time together and be thankful for all they have, but it is important to remember that reflecting on our blessings and giving thanks is meant to be a daily activity.

Many years ago, a good friend of mine shared with me about ACTS prayers. ACTS being an acronym… Not the book of Acts. In this acronym, A stands for adoration. C is for confession. T for thankfulness and lastly, S for supplication. This is a great example of how we should pray. When we pray, we always need to remember to spend time in adoration. Adoration being our love, respect and worship of God and for all of the things he has done. Confession of course meaning to confess our sins to God. Thankfulness is us taking time during our prayer to thank God for all He has given us and done. Supplication is us asking God for something earnestly or humbly. This is a great model for how we should always pray to God. This tool is a great way to remember to thank God, confess to God and praise God. For now, let’s focus on the thankfulness. As mentioned earlier, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 says, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Regardless of what we have going on in our lives, we should always be thankful to God for the lives we have and for the future plans that God has for us even after this physical life is over. Let’s take a moment to see what the Bible says about our eternal life after this physical life is over…
 
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
 
“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15-17)
 
“They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:4-5)
 
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
 
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:17-25)

God has amazing plans for our future! Plans far beyond anything we can hope or imagine. If we remember this every day of our lives, we will always be thankful to God every day. Of course there is nothing wrong with setting aside one day a year to spend with friends and family, sharing with each other what we are thankful for. But, most importantly, we should be thankful to God daily.
 
                                                                      Colossians 1:12
Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

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