Give Thanks | Qualities of Women Who Trust Jesus
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” —Psalm 100:4
The details escape me, but I remember that one day my youngest son was excited about something I had told him, and he didn’t know what to do with all the gratitude he was feeling. He ran to his room, grabbed his Pokéman wallet, and came running back to me with a dollar in his hand.
He didn’t know how else to express his gratitude, so he gave the only thing that he had in his possession to give. A dollar.
There are some moments when saying “thank you” to God doesn’t seem like enough, but what we learn from scripture is that our expressions of gratitude to God are not merely empty words. They are acts of giving. Give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4).
Thanks is something that we can give to God.
Think about that for a minute. What do you have in your possession that would be of any value to the God who created all things? Our expressions of gratitude seem too basic, but they are, in fact, just right. When we think about who God is and what He’s done, then we pause the circus of our life long enough to thank Him— that is worship.
Psalm 100 offers four reasons for us to give thanks to God, which is really helpful because these things remain true even when we’re in a crazy season or walking through a crisis. Let’s take a look.
Four Reasons To Give Thanks To God In Psalm 100:
1.) The Lord is good (verse 5). One of the biggest lies we believe— sometimes without realizing it— is that God is not good. Over and over again, His word remind us of His goodness, excellence and purity. The truth is that His intentions toward us are good and He orders everything to turn out for good in our lives.
2.) The Lord is loving (verse 5). It seems too good to be true that the all-powerful God of the universe is also our Father. He is tender and patient with us as we grow, and His love lasts forever. Such good news!
3.) The Lord is faithful (verse 5). He will never, ever for any reason or at any time give up on us. He stays true to His word, which means He stays true to us.
4.) We are His (verse 3). Every single one of us is made with a desire to belong. We see it in raw form when children try shamelessly to fit in with the crowd, but we also see it within our own hearts if we look closely enough. To know that we belong to God, that we are His, grounds us in a powerful way.
Because we are His, we are no longer discontented, ungrateful women who act as though we’re entitled to a life of ease and luxury. We’re different. We’re new. We’re mindful of who God is and what He is doing in our lives, and we allow thankfulness to sprout and flourish in the soil of our hearts.
When my little guy offered me his dollar, my heart melted at his attempt to express gratitude. But the reality is that I didn’t want or need his dollar; a hug and a “thank you” would’ve been more than enough. Let’s be women who run to our Father with a hug and a “thank you” today. Let’s be women who give thanks.
For Your Journal
Find It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a Bible verse. You can find a verse that fits a current life situation or use the one we used in today’s devotion.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” —Psalm 100:4
Fix It:
In this portion of your journal, pull out a few key words from the verse you chose above, or summarize the verse in your own words. Write it in pretty lettering or sketch something that will help you visualize the meaning of the verse and fix it in your mind. Repeat these words to yourself throughout the week to remind you of the truth contained in the scripture. Here are some options:
Father, thank you.
GIVE thanks
Feel It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a prayer. The goal is to absorb the meaning of the Bible passage and let it take root in your heart. Ask the Lord to let his word change you by the power of his Spirit so that you begin to feel like the new person you’re becoming in Christ. Surrender any areas of your life that you are trying to control.
Father, it seems too basic to simply say the words “thank you,” but I believe that my expression of gratitude is actually an act of worship. Thank you for being good to me. Thank you for loving me despite all my flaws. Thank you for remaining faithful even when I forget you and do my own thing. Thank you that I am yours! Help me to give you thanks everyday of my life. I don’t want to be the type of person who is negative, complains easily or lacks contentment. Mold me into the thankful person you created me to be, and empower me to come before you with a disposition of thanksgiving today and always. Amen.