Day 55: Communicating gratitude

Now thank we all our God

With hearts and hands and voices. 

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom his world rejoices;

who from our mothers' arms,

Hath blessed us on our way.

With countless gifts of love,

and still is ours today. 

-Martin Rinkart

The problems we often have with communicating our gratitude to God, is not that we don't show gratitude to Him; rather its the manner in which we do so. Often, like our requests, we say 'thank you for the food... thank you for sending your son to die on the cross....thank you for this day...etc.' However, they are never more than just saying thank you. 

There is nothing wrong with saying thank you, however, if this is all we ever say to God, it can become boring and eventually it fails to reflect the true attitudes of our hearts. 

So...how are we to do it?

We must talk to God and explain to Him why we are thankful, if in fact we are. A good way to do this is not to say thank you for this and for that, but rather to tell God a story about your circumstances, or your life, reflecting on what God has done for you. In this way you are showing gratitude to Him without simply repeating a clique. 

Psalm 34:4-7

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears. 

Those who look to Him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame. 

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

He saved him out of all his troubles. 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,

and He delivers them. 

Notice how the psalmist describes the blessing from God to those around Him. In expressive terms he explains what God has done for him, and in so doing, He is thanking God and showing gratitude to Him. 

We all have stories to tell how God has helped us. He always performs wonders for His children; so whether great or small, we all have something to tell Him, and thereby show our gratitude to Him. 

And by giving thanks to God in prayer, we are also benefitted. When we go through times of despair, when we feel that God is not near, we can pray to Him, recalling the wonders that He has done for us, and most often the result is that we are encouraged to overcome those depressing feelings. Thanking God from the heart often leads us to happiness and joy. 

You turned my waling into dancing;

You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. 

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. 

(Psalm 30:11-12)