“I’m down and discouraged. How can I praise the Lord? Why should I give Him praise?”

Psalms 100. Even doctors have found out that thankfulness improves relationships and creates contentment. Thankfulness helps you remain healthy. Being thankful will cultivate humility. Thankfulness is contagious and produces a positive attitude inside of you. Thankfulness promotes generosity and increases your likability.

Being thankful displays God’s character inside of you.

Being thankful keeps our hearts toward God. When we are ungrateful, it keeps us from seeing God as He is. Our hearts would become bitter and our relationship with God and others would suffer. We would start to worship less, pray less, and read the Bible less when we are ungrateful. This is very dangerous in that we start to think that we have achieved everything on our own. Pretty soon we would forget about all the good things God has done for us.

Being thankful will allow us to see all the mercy and love God has shown towards us.

You may not have everything you want in your life, but God has given you so much. Take some time and reflect on all the blessings and goodness He has bestowed upon your life. Do you realize that there are things that you have that other people are praying for?

James 1:17. Colossians 3:15.

If you are going through a hard time, if you are struggling and the devil is telling you that you have nothing to be thankful for, I’m giving you the opportunity to reach into three worlds and find something to be thankful for.

The first world is the past. The second world is your present, right now. The third world is the world we haven’t touched or seen yet, the future.

Let’s look back into the past for a moment.

You ought to be thankful for the opportunity to get saved. I don’t know all that you’ve been through in your life, but God has kept you this far. Jesus loves you so much that He came looking for you! If you aren’t saved and the Lord is drawing you closer to Him, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. 1.877.226.4088. We want to pray with you and help you grow closer to the Lord.

But if you are saved, reach back a little further into the past and be thankful for the shedding of God’s blood for you. Isaiah 53:4-5. You have something to be thankful for! Jesus loved you when you were in a mess, while you were a sinner, and while you were in the depths of hopelessness! Romans 5:8.

Reach back into your past and thank God for keeping you! Thank Him for stories you don’t talk about where He has brought you through and miracles that others don’t know about. You could have given up, but God got to you first. Somehow when it looked like you couldn’t go any further God kept you and you’re still here! Hallelujah!

Now, let’s look at the present.

Take a second and thank God for what He is doing right now. You’re breathing right now. If you are reading this, you can see. You’ve got a sound mind, food on your table, and peace in your heart.

2 Corinthians 6:2. Thank God! Someone could get saved today! Someone could get a new beginning today.

Too often in life, our minds want to dwell on the negative, what we are missing, where we’ve gone wrong, and how far we are from our goals. It may not be a good season right now, but you are in a good place because you are in God’s hand. Stand up and refuse to let your circumstance control your thankfulness towards God! It really moves God when your world is shaking and you’re still thankful.

Depression can’t hang around when you are thankful. Victory returns when you are thankful. Peace takes over when you are thankful! Yes, you may be facing storms, but we aren’t in Heaven yet. Don’t be just a survivor. Be an overcomer. Walk in victory and peace and put the storm under your feet. Tell the devil you will be thankful to the Almighty and you will exalt the Lord!

Jesus has never given up on you. Take a moment and thank Him for loving you.

Let’s look into the future.

Thank God for what He is going to do. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the government or the grocery stores, but I do know that we are in the hands of the Good Shepherd and we will not go hungry. Things are hard right now, but you will not have a breakdown, you can rest and trust in the Lord. He will take care of your family and make a way for you. He did not bring you this far to let you go. He didn’t start a work in you to throw you away. He’s the Creator and Provider. Shake your fear off today and be thankful for what God is going to do for you! Philippians 4:13. Blessings are coming your way, Friend!

Another thing to be thankful for is that Jesus is coming back for us!

Acts 1:11. You won’t always be laughed at, cursed, and mocked. You won’t always have to fight devils. Jesus is literally going to return! Romans 8:28. 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

When our born-again loved ones who have passed on rise when Jesus comes back, they will not have the problems they had while here on this earth. They won’t have the pain or the heartache. They won’t have to face any storms. They won’t have a body that will get sick. They will have a glorified body.

Praise the Lord, the grave is not our final abode! You have something to look forward to! Whatever you are going through right now, break out in praise and thankfulness! The grave has no victory over you! Death has no sting!

Take a moment and give God some praise. Ask Him for an anointing of thankfulness to fall on you. We have so much to thank God for. You have friends and family who care about you. Your name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Your sins are forgiven and your transgressions have been blotted out.

Come to the Lord today and just thank him for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do.

— Pastor Anthony Wynn