By Kaitlin Neese
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is easy to get caught up in the craziness of the world and forget what we have to be thankful for. But have you ever stopped to think about what the Bible says about being thankful?
Thanksgiving is celebrated and loved by many Americans, and it is a great opportunity to reflect on the blessings in our lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV) says:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
We are called to give thanks in all circumstances. This means not just when we want to or feel like it, but in everything we do.
Let’s face it: Life gets hard, and it can be difficult to be thankful for everything. Here are two verses to remind you of the things you can be thankful for.
Psalm 136:1 (ESV) says:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
Here we have two things we can be thankful for: God’s goodness and steadfast love.What is steadfast love? The Oxford Dictionary defines steadfast as “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.” God’s love for us is firm and never waivers.
Psalm 103:1-4 (ESV) says:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit,who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.”
Verse one says “forgives all your iniquity” The dictionary’s definition of inequity is “immoral or grossly unfair behavior.” God forgives us of all our behaviors that do not align with his word.
Next the verse says “heals all your diseases and redeems your life from the pit.” God is our healer and redeemer. He heals us when we are sick and he redeems us and makes our life new.
The passage ends with “crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” God gives us mercy when we sin and continues to love us no matter what.
We can be thankful for God’s goodness, steadfast love, forgiveness, healing, redemption and mercy. God is always walking beside, us even in times of pain and sorrow. We can rest in knowing that God has a plan for our lives and everything that happens has a purpose.
There will be hard times in our lives but ultimately God is in control and will never leave us.
During this Thanksgiving season, look back at Psalm 136:1 and Psalm 103:1-4 and remember you always have something to be thankful for, even if things are tough, because God is always good and His love for us never ends.
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