At family meals, Christians often express their thanksgiving to each other by recalling all that God has blessed them with, such as food, friends and jobs. But they’re especially appreciative for His justice and protection of those less powerful – things which often go unsaid in society today.
How should a Christian express thanks in an often hostile world?
Table of Contents
Prayer
Prayer is an integral component of Christian belief, used as an opportunity to honor God and seek his forgiveness for their transgressions as well as seek guidance in life. Some individuals pray alone while others gather as part of a church group for group prayers.
Many Christians use “thank God/thanks god” to express their relief that something went well for them. For instance, someone almost hit by a car may say something like, “Thank God no one got injured” to express their thanks that everything worked out okay in that situation. This expression of thanks shows their appreciation that things turned out okay in spite of potential danger.
On other occasions, people pray to express their thanks to God for all his blessings – whether big things like finding employment or getting good health reports; or small blessings like enjoying nature or an exquisite dinner. Believers should make time each day to thank him, whether big or small. It’s vitally important that believers take this time to thank him and express their thanks both big and small!
Some believe that when you pray, your words reach God directly – this is known as divine action. Others, including psychologists William James and Joseph Segond, believe prayer to be nothing more than an emotional release that acts upon various parts of our mind.
Both perspectives can be valid; it’s just important to keep in mind when praying, you are communicating with a real person who knows and cares about you – this is why keeping prayers simple and focused are so vitally important.
The Bible instructs us to pray both publicly and privately. Jesus taught, stating “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who stand and pray in synagogues and street corners just so others may see them; Amen I tell you, they have already received their reward”.
At the dawn of Christianity, early Christians regularly prayed collectively and individually for healing, strength to continue serving Christ, guidance in times of difficulty, and wisdom when making important decisions.
Appreciation
Appreciation is the act of acknowledging and appreciating something’s positive qualities, so it’s crucial that people recognize when someone does something kind for you – they may not realize just how much their kindness means to you; you should express it verbally or written; making sure your acknowledgements are specific shows you care about what this person has done for you, according to research from Greater Good Science Center.
Appreciating the little things is an effective way to find happiness. Doing so helps prevent filling any empty spots in your life with more of the same, and can shift focus away from issues and lack.
Use one or more of these quotes or messages to express your appreciation, while keeping in mind that words alone won’t do. Make your appreciation meaningful by crafting it yourself so it is heartfelt and sincere. If writing notes or cards is part of the plan, ensure your work passes an online spelling and grammar checker like Grammarly for editing purposes.
Serving Others
The Bible contains many teachings regarding serving God and others, with gratitude being an integral part of each. “Thank” appears over 170 times throughout its pages – including its derivatives such as thanksgiving.
No matter the occasion or holiday, it’s always worthwhile to thank God for all His gifts in life – big or small. Not only should you acknowledge his significant blessings, but don’t forget the little things too – thanking Him will keep your focus on His grace in your life and show Him your appreciation!
Imagine being nearly side-swiped by a car in the parking lot; after thanking Him, you might say: “Thank God no one was injured!” as an expression of your appreciation for His protection and care. You might also say: “Thank God!” in instances when something potentially disastrous could have occurred but didn’t.
As we will all ultimately die and will no longer be able to thank Him, it is wiser to express your thanks while alive so He may hear and acknowledge it.
God deserves our undying thanks and gratitude for giving us Jesus Christ, an infinitely precious, inexpressible gift which transcends words to express its value. According to 2 Corinthians 9:15, His gift “is unspeakable”, signifying it is beyond description and worth more than all riches combined.
Helping others is one of the best ways to show God your thanks and express gratitude, whether that means volunteering, providing food for the needy or simply encouraging someone. Teaching Bible classes or sharing your testimony also provides opportunities to honor God while strengthening fellow believers while reminding ourselves of all His blessings.
Worship
Worship is an act of honoring another with extravagant love and extreme submission, an experience which should come from within and involve our entire beings. Worship should not simply be limited to listening to slow songs in church or volunteering at children’s ministry – rather, Christians should make it a point to worship God daily in whatever ways He leads.
The Bible outlines that worship is the result of an altered heart. When we truly love God, His peace and joy fill our souls and guide our daily decisions. If you want to gain more insight into its importance, you can read up on its importance or speak to a pastor directly.
Transformation requires tremendous dedication and effort, yet is possible through proper guidance. You can start by prioritizing what matters most in life for you – this will help identify areas for improvement as well as foster an ever closer relationship with Christ.
There are various ways you can worship the Lord, such as praise and prayer. Prayer is perhaps the most effective form of communion with Him because it allows you to communicate your emotions and thoughts to Him directly as well as keep in contact with him throughout your day.
Your worship of the Lord can include spending time outdoors. Nature demonstrates His incredible creative force, while you can honor and praise Him by appreciating all of His creations such as cardinals and bluebirds, seasons changing and oxygen being breathed out by your lungs.
Keep in mind that not all forms of worship are acceptable to God. He takes note of hypocritical practices like obligatory worship based on rules made up by human teachers (Jeremiah 12:2) as well as idolatry that disregards Yahweh and ignores His covenant relationship (Amos 5:21-24).
