Some Thoughts about Giving Thanks

What motivates us? Psalm 26:7: "Proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling of all your wondrous deeds."

What encourages us? Psalm 50:23: "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me, to the one who orders his way rightly, I will show the salvation of God!"

What occupies missionaries? Psalm 57:9: "I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises among the nations."

What amazes us? Psalm 28:7:  "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 shall thank him."

What warns us? Romans 1:21: "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God, or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

There are commands to give thanks which are sometimes hard to fulfill, such as Ephesians 5:20: "Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," and 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

But these ought to always come readily if you are in Christ:

Romans 6:17: "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed."

1 Corinthians 15:57: "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 9:15: "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"

Colossians 3:17: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him"

And one I come back to pretty much every day:

Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."