Lessons From the Secret Place Special Edition – Intimacy- An Attitude of Gratitude

Webster’s 1828 dictionary says gratitude is an emotion of the heart, excited by a favor or benefit received; a sentiment of kindness or good will towards a benefactor; thankfulness. 

God desires relationship and intimacy with us.  One way we can share intimacy with him is through thanksgiving. 

When someone does something for me, no matter how great or small, I say, “Thank you” and try to return in kind.  That is how I was raised.  We show gratitude when others bless us. In our culture today, you can often tell which young adults, teens and children were/are being raised by Christian parents, by their level of gratitude.  Sadly, we have a generation of children who were/are being raised to think more of themselves than of others.  This breaks my heart because I know it breaks God’s heart.  Not only do many fail to be grateful for what God has done, many fail to acknowledge his existence at all, passing Christianity/the Word off as a myth or man-made story.  

As Thanksgiving Day draws near, a day set aside for the purpose of giving thanks, I want to look at what the Word says about gratitude and thankfulness.  

Psalm 136:1, Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1, Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Ephesians 5:20, Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 100:1-5, A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 50:23, The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Phillipians 4:6-7, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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 give thanks to him.

Psalm 69:30, I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

1 Chronicles 16:34, Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

I Thessalonians 5:18, Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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

Jonah 2:9, But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

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

Psalm 9:1, I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Colossians 2:6-7, Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Psalm 106:1, Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Revelation 11:17, Saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

Four specific things about thanksgiving stood out to me as I reread these verses. 

First, we offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving.  

Sacrifice is defined in the Webster 1828 dictionary as: To devote with loss.  A sacrifice cost the giver something.  When we are faced with hard times or difficult circumstances, the last thing we want to do is sacrifice anymore.  However, Psalm 50:23 tells us that “the one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Our sacrifice of thanksgiving in the middle of our storm glorifies God. 

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Praise is the best sacrifice; true, hearty, gracious thanksgiving from a renewed mind. Not the lowing of bullocks bound to the altar, but the songs of redeemed men are the music which the ear of Jehovah delights in. Sacrifice your loving gratitude, and God is honoured thereby.” i

Second, we must offer thanksgiving with our requests in prayer. 

Philippians 4:6-7, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

With Thanksgiving: This guards against a whining, complaining spirit before God when we let our requests be made known. We really can be anxious for nothing, pray about everything, and be thankful for anything. ii

Thanksgiving is an exercise of faith.  We are thanking God in advance for his answers.  Abraham did just this. Romans 4:20-22, No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). (AMPC)

Third, we must be thankful in every circumstance. 

In I Thessalonians 5:18 Paul tells us to give thanks in all circumstances.  This is not a suggestion but a command.  We tend to pick and choose what to be thankful for and what to complain about.  Paul is clear here that we are to complain about NOTHING, but give thanks for EVERYTHING.  

Many of you probably know the story of Betsie and Corrie ten Boom, who were imprisoned in a horrible Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Upon being moved to a new camp, they were thrown into an overcrowded barracks that was swarming with fleas. Corrie wondered how they would survive these awful conditions, however, Betsie know God already had the answer. On one of their first mornings in the new camp Corrie read their morning Bible passage, she read from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Betsie exclaimed, "That's it, Corrie! That's His answer! 'Give thanks in all circumstances!' We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!"  Corrie was shocked and asked, “Such as?” Betsie listed off the following: being placed there together, being able to keep their Bible, for the great number of people they got to minister too, and finally for the fleas.  They both thanked God for each item on the list, yes, even the fleas.  

A few weeks later they realized that no guard ever entered their barracks to harass them, and they were able to hold Bible studies and prayer times, sharing God’s love with the other women.  They soon learned that it was the fleas that kept the guards away.  God even used the fleas to bless these two precious women who were willing to give thanks in even the darkest of circumstances. 

Fourth, we need to be specific in our thanksgiving. 

In Psalm 9:1, David says, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” We must recount the deeds and blessings of the Lord.  

A few months ago I started beginning my time with the Lord by listing off the many blessings he has placed in my life.  As a teacher I know that the more senses you get involved in learning the better the outcome, so I speak my list out loud.  The Word tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of the Lord, so I figure faith is built by “hearing” the blessings of the Lord.  I list the obvious things like my husband, my children, my home, my church, etc., then I ask Holy Spirit to bring to my remembrance other things for which I need to give thanks.  Every day he reminds me of something I might have forgotten or overlooked in my earlier list.  It is easier to bring the needs of myself and others before God after I have recounted his goodness toward me and offered thanksgiving!!

Having an attitude of gratitude includes offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving, offering thanksgiving with our requests in prayer, being thankful in every circumstance, and being specific in our thanksgiving.  

Father, I bless each one who reads these words.  May our hearts be filled to overflowing with gratitude for all you have done for us. May we also remember to live in an attitude of gratitude, giving glory and honor to your Holy Name!!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Larabee House to Yours!! I am so thankful for each of you!!!

Note: all Scripture is ESV unless otherwise stated.

Works Cited:

i https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/tod/ps050.cfm?a=528023  

ii https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/philippians/philippians-4.cfm?a=1107006