Why is giving thanks to God important?

It may be helpful, in the first instance, to say something upon the general subject of thanksgiving to God before dealing with the specific points raised in the query. We are bound to offer our thanks to God continually because we are entirely dependent upon the bounty of Him who ‘giveth to all life, and breath, and all things’ (Acts 17:25). The world generally ignores this elementary truth relating to human existence, but the believer in Christ is taught of God to own it fully. Moreover, because even he has a tendency to forget his indebtedness to divine mercy for ‘all things’, he is definitely enjoined to give ‘thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Eph. 5:20). Thanksgiving is not optional on our part, for the apostle declares that it is ‘the will of God in Christ Jesus’ that we should ‘in every thing give thanks’ (1 Thess. 5:18).

But in addition to this habit of general thanksgiving, we find that a meal is to be considered a particular occasion for the giving of thanks. In partaking of food for the support of our life we are, or should be, reminded of our great benefactor. Ignorance on our part of this obligation is inexcusable, because from the beginning God by special revelation, both before and after the fall, showed that vegetable and animal food alike are His gifts to man for his maintenance (Gen. 1:29–30; 9:3). He has never failed to send rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling men’s hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17). What a perennial cause for thankfulness to Him! But, alas, it is recorded as a signal mark of men’s sinful departure from God and forgetfulness of His mercies that ‘they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful’ (Rom. 1:21). Thus, despising the riches of God’s goodness in the things of nature has been true of sinners from earliest times. This is deplorable, but it is still more so if found in the children of God.

This is the portion on which I purpose to dwell this evening. A man must be conscious of having a good portion who can rejoice always in all things, who can give thanks always for all things. The natural man cannot receive such a word as this. The joy which marks such a spirit is not joy in the flesh; so far. from its being dependent upon prosperity, it is found in highest exercise under afflictive circumstances. God seems to say in this passage, My child, you will never be in any circumstances, or in any position, in which you have not cause to give thanks. Giving thanks is the response in us for what we see in God: it is the happy expression of our sense of what we have found in God! This giving of thanks, — it is not one or two links of a chain, as it were, and then broken off; no, it is continuous and unbroken, and enduring.

But we are still in the body and in the world, as they were. Therefore is the word "pray unceasingly;" just as we see those who returned with great joy from Olivet, all with one accord continuing steadfastly in prayer with Mary the mother of Jesus, not yet the abomination of prayer to her or to His brethren. Yet this due expression of increasing dependence on God should never be without thanksgiving, but as we are in everything, which otherwise might make us anxious, by prayer and supplication to let our requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6), so are we here exhorted to "give thanks in everything." And as a constant spirit of thanksgiving is the very reverse of nature's querulousness, because of manifold suffering and chagrin and disappointment, the apostle fortifies this call with a reason subjoined, "for this is God's will in Christ Jesus toward you." Otherwise it would soon in the declension of Christendom have been counted levity and presumption. How truly does the apostle say in his second Epistle, "all have not faith."

Wonderful indeed is the exceeding greatness of God’s power which has quickened us and set us apart from the ways of death, placing our feet in the path of life according to the great end He has in view. Our hearts may well be grateful and our lips speak forth His praise! for, if—(1) “This is the will of God, even our sanctification,”—and, (2) “This is the will” of God that we “should have life eternal,” and be raised up at the end, as we have seen; so also, (3) “This is the will of God in Christ Jesus” concerning us: “IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS!”

Thanksgiving is indeed most fitting and becoming! Saved and sanctified according to the good pleasure of God, to share in the scenes of life eternal—knowing that all things work together for the good of such—for grace has called them according to God’s purpose—what could be more suitable than giving thanks “IN” everything, though “FOR” everything it may not always be possible? Yes, such is the reasonable and striking exhortation given to those who are of the “one body in Christ,”—literally reading—“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus towards you” (1 Thess. 5:18). Colossians 3:15 also says, “Let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts, to which also ye have been called in one body, and be ye thankful” (N.Tr.).

50 So we read in 1 Thessalonians 5, "In everything give thanks." How is this to be done? Did Paul give thanks for the thorn - the very thing he supposed would hinder his usefulness? Not whilst looking at the thing itself: it was only when his eye was fixed on the heart and the hand that had done it. There are many things in themselves that we cannot give thanks for - the snapping of the cord nearest the heart, or the cutting to pieces of what our affections are set upon. We must see the love that has ordered it, and the hand that has appointed it; and then we can give thanks.

Our blessed Lord Himself is our great exemplar in this as in all else. He could and did give thanks in the hour of deepest trial. In Matthew 11 and Luke 10 we see Him rejected of men, grieving over the cities in which His mightiest works had been accomplished and which had yet refused His message, with the dark shadows of the cross already falling athwart His path, and we read: ‘At that time’ — mark it well: at that time when all was darkest and He had anguish unutterable to look forward to — ‘Jesus rejoiced in spirit’ and said, ‘I thank thee, O Father’. Oh, for grace to imitate Him in this attitude, not only of subjection to the will of God but in receiving the heaviest trials from the Father’s hand, knowing that all is for eventual blessing.

Thanksgiving is very intimately connected with, if not of the essence of, worship. For thanksgiving is the consequence of blessings received, whether in providence or in redemption. The sense of God's goodness and grace in thus ministering to us, in blessing us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, constrains us to pour out our thanksgivings in His presence; and then, necessarily, we are led to reflect upon the character and attributes of the God who thus delights to surround us with the tokens of His love and care; and consequently thanksgiving passes over into worship.

In connection with opposition and hindrances, let us take notice of a great and substantial aid to prayer, namely, thanksgiving — "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2). Probably the advantage of thanksgiving as an aid to the soul is not fully seen. How often when the well of prayer seems dried, thanksgiving will cause the stream to flow! The recollection of mercies received, and blessings in possession, refreshes the soul; begets the sense that we are in communion with a giving God; and imparts new courage to approach Him with our requests. How many answers are received to prayers gone by, which are not recognised as answers, because in the interval the very prayers that were made are forgotten! Thus is lost to the soul opportunity for praise and thanksgiving; a loss of happy and profitable exercise: but besides that, it is a failure in what is becoming towards God. Is it a fit thing to receive a gift and not return thanks? Between man and man it is a breach of manners; and that God takes notice of such failure towards Him is certain from the case of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19). Only one of the ten who had been cleansed returned to give thanks, and how touching is the comment of the Lord! "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger!" God looks for our gratitude, and that not only in the heart, but the positive expression of it; expression too, not merely in a general way, but definitely as to definite instances. Praise "is pleasant, and it is comely" (Ps. 147:1). A thankful soul is a happy soul. We can never get into circumstances where we have not cause for thanksgiving, and thanksgiving naturally leads to prayer.

1880 42 One thought was particularly on my mind in reading this portion — the astonishing grace implied in such an exhortation as this: "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is not a mere duty. I need not say we cannot deny the duty part; but it is evident that the Holy Ghost supposes that the saints will feel and understand it is rather the directing of the heart than the exacting something from it. There is great difference between these two things: so legal are our hearts naturally, that even with the knowledge of God we have, we are apt to clothe the words of our God to us under the form of a law to which we have to bend, instead of seeing that such being the goodly portion God has given us, this thanksgiving always for all things is naturally the expression of the heart taught of the Holy Ghost. It is indeed pure unbelief, wherever the heart is not thus able. The hindrance lies here — we can readily acknowledge that if God were giving us nothing but what we could see and own as the fruit of His love, Christ, and the Holy Ghost to make Christ known — that then we can thank Him for all things, for Himself — He has created us for Himself.

The exhortation in Colossians is, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." But here the Holy Ghost goes much further, "Giving thanks always, for all things, unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is not giving thanks in all things that we do. It is more. No matter what God does, or permits to be done, I am entitled by faith to receive it as a blessing to my soul, and for this therefore give thanks. Whatever the trial may be, disappointment, scorn, distraction, the thousand influences that come from an evil world; it is not that I am to thank for these, but for the blessing that God designs for me through them. We are called of God to be outside the camp with Jesus. We find things there to try our faith, things that test us whether we have come out for one another, or because of certain truths received and enjoyed in common, or whether it is that we may be where Jesus is, sharing His reproach, having fellowship with His sufferings. And if we see that God has given, us this portion, we can say that God Himself could not have given us anything better. He has not called us out to a partial blessing, but to a complete one. He calls us to enjoy what He is to us in Jesus — to learn His love more and more. He is leading on His saints in this: that through which we learn it, involves the crushing of nature, the denial of self, and if there is one single thing, however small, in which we should like to have a little reserve, it is the very thing we have to pass through and yield. For God desires we should know our full blessing. If we are looking after the well-watered plains, as Lot did, we may be suffered to get them, but there we shall have sorrow, as Lot had. And we see cases like his now. Indeed for one Abram we see fifty Lots.

Don't murmur, Christian, for it is a most unchristian, a most ungodly thing to do. Nothing dishonours God more, nothing does greater damage to the soul. It was the chiefest sin of all the sins that Israel committed in the wilderness, for it meant that they did not believe that their God was fit to be trusted. It did not change His merciful care for them, but it aroused His just anger against them.