Let Your Thanksgiving Be As Loud As Your Requests
Welcome to 2024! Reflecting on last year, I realised I have numerous reasons to express my gratitude to God. I recommend writing down prayer requests and testimonies and revisiting them periodically or as the year comes to a close. Without keeping a record of God’s mercy and faithfulness, we might underestimate or underappreciate what He has done for us and through us. This reminds me of Psalm 103:2, NLT.
Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
While praying and planning for this year, it dawned on me that sometimes we may be too focused on answers to requests we have made or will make before God. This consequently overshadows our inclination to express gratitude and thankfulness to Him. Being grateful to God should be a habit, a daily routine. Showing appreciation to God is always a reflection of our walk with Him and heart towards Him.
My parents taught me to say “thank you” when anyone is kind or helpful to me. In most cultures and situations, expressing gratitude by saying “thank you” is commonly regarded as good etiquette. We live in a fast-paced society, where sometimes we might be lazy or in a hurry and have no time to say “thank you”. Even when someone does something they are paid to do for you, a “thank you” might be all they need to feel seen, valued, appreciated, or lifted in their spirit. It is a good habit to always show gratitude.
In Luke 17:11-19, NLT Jesus was travelling to Jerusalem from Galilee; he came to a village at the border between Galilee and Samaria. Ten men with leprosy stood at a distance and cried to him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”. When Jesus saw the men, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” While they were on their way to meet the priest, they were healed. When one of them realised he was healed, he went back to Jesus shouting, “Praise God!” and fell at the feet of Jesus in thanksgiving, appreciating him for what he had done. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you (Some other bible translations say “your faith has made you whole”).
Do not be loud in your request but silent in your thanksgiving.
Jesus expected ten men to return in thanksgiving for their healing, but only one returned to say “thank you”. We were not told why the other nine did not return to thank God. However, they exhibited an ungrateful attitude familiar to some of us. Like some of us, it’s plausible that the nine were so preoccupied with moving on with their lives or onto the next endeavour, causing them to overlook the importance of returning to show appreciation to God. Many of us move on to the next request or goal without taking the time to thank God for the requests He has answered. The nine were loud in their prayer request to Jesus but became silent in thanksgiving. Do not be loud in your request but silent in your thanksgiving. Some of us become so distracted or preoccupied by negative situations in our lives that we do not see the need to show gratitude to God. It is God’s will that we should be thankful and show gratitude in every circumstance.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT
You will go through different emotions and circumstances this year. There may be times when you’d be joyous, sad, exhausted, discouraged, encouraged, defeated, victorious, etc. The standard for us as children of God is that we should be thankful regardless of our situation. This year, let your thanksgiving be as loud as your request. What I mean is that the posture of your heart towards prayer and communication with God should not only be for requests but equally towards thanksgiving. When making requests or petitions to God enthusiastically and with faith, be equally expressive and enthusiastic in expressing gratitude and thanksgiving. You should not only seek assistance or blessings but also acknowledge and appreciate what has already been received. Maintain a thankful attitude and give as much attention to expressing gratitude as you would to making requests.
I love how Philippians 4:6, NLT puts it: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (emphasis added). The formula here for making requests to God is not complete without thanksgiving. With this formula, you shouldn’t be making requests if you are ungrateful.
If you feel you have been hard done by life and have nothing to be grateful to God for, it means you are listening to the voice of your flesh. Be thankful to God for the gift of salvation, His presence, His love, mercy, faithfulness, justice and our victory through Jesus Christ (See Psalm 118:29, Psalm 7:17, 1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 John 1:9).
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34, NLT
God is good, which is enough reason to be grateful to Him. An unanswered prayer request does not mean He is not good and that He is not God. That healing you did not receive does not diminish His goodness. That loss you experienced, or because a loved one lost their life, does not mean God is not good. My point is that the aspects of life you dislike or are not going as you desire do not invalidate the goodness of God. God’s goodness was recorded before you were born, and many more will testify of His goodness after you leave this earth. His integrity is not dependent on what He has or has not done for you. It is our arrogance that leads us to believe we can be “mad” at a God who has shown us nothing but mercy instead of damnation.
As you journey through 2024, have it at the back of your mind that thanksgiving should be a priority, not an afterthought. Put more effort into your gratitude. Be loud and enthusiastic about thanking God. Thank God in prayers, with scripture, singing, dancing, and with kind gestures to others. Speak about God’s goodness publicly and privately in speech and writing. Don’t shy away from acknowledging his mercy and faithfulness towards you.
May the Holy Spirit nudge us to be grateful at all times this year. Amen.
Further reading: Isaiah 12
Photo credit: ©istockphoto/MarinelaMalcheva
