(1) We have many reasons to be thankful.

We can begin our list of reasons to be thankful by reflecting on all the other special people God has brought into our lives and used to bless us this past year.  We need to see each one as a gift from the Lord.  We can also think of all the material blessings and comforts we enjoy.  God has often blessed us far more than we deserve, so we should be briming over with thanksgiving.  Even physical health is a gift from the Lord—a gift we often take for granted until it is threatened or lost entirely.

But even more important than the people and things in our lives is the One who has given us all these blessings.  Even if we were to find ourselves in the midst of adversity, we still have the presence of the covenant God of the Bible.  He promises us that He “will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  And here we should remember our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around this world who often find themselves in the midst of very severe trials and difficult living situations.  Yet God often gives them the grace to rejoice in Him as their greatest treasure.

(2) We have a great God who is worthy of our praise.

Any of us may feel content or relieved or comfortable at times, but being thankful is something far more than any of these common feelings.  Being thankful assumes we have Someone to thank.  An atheist by definition is someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of a Creator God or a God who is currently governing this universe.  Consequently, an atheist can’t give thanks for the blessings of life simply because he has no one to thank.  Being thankful should be a natural response for anyone who believes that God is gracious and kind and does all things well.  The character of God should prompt us to worship Him and give Him the praise and thanksgiving He deserves.

(3) Being thankful also reminds us God is sovereign over all the events and circumstances of life.

The Bible clearly teaches us that God is omnipotent or all-powerful (Psalm 8).  He is the One who created us in the first place, sustains us for as long as we are alive here on His earth, and promises to provide for us for us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

God is actively and purposefully at work in this world accomplishing His purposes.  In particular, He is working all things together for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).  We can think of this as the purposeful sovereignty of God.  God is not only great and all-powerful, but everything He does in our lives ultimately has two purposes: namely His glory and our good. 

Thus, there is meaning and purpose to all the things that happen in our lives and in the world around us.  The reason for a few things may be almost immediately evident to us.   For others, their meaning and purpose will become apparent to us far more slowly and often only after a number of years.  And for at least some of these divine providences, we will be able to understand them only in hindsight after we are home in glory.  Yet God calls us to trust Him enough to thank Him for all the things He allows in our lives, even for the things we don’t understand. 

I invite you to join me during Thanksgiving season 2024 by expressing your thanks to God for all He has done in your life this past year.