Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on God’s blessings and express gratitude. It reminds us of the importance of acknowledging His goodness in our lives. Gratitude is central to a faithful Christian walk. A thankful heart brings joy, peace, and contentment. Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to guide others in showing appreciation to God. Thanksgiving brings deeper connections with God and inspires meaningful worship. The Power and Importance of Thanksgiving Philippines 4:6-7 [NKJV] 4 Reasons thanksgiving is important! 1. Thanksgiving is how we enter God’s (presence) Psalm 100:1-5 [NKJV] Thanksgiving and praise are different. Thanksgiving is thanking God for what he has done! Praise is acknowledging who he is! When we come before him, we need to thank him and praise him for all he is done. We honor God by cultivating a grateful heart. Psalm 107:1 [NKJV] Thankfulness aligns our focus with God’s goodness and away from life’s distractions. Life gets busy, challenges weigh heavy and sometimes it’s hard to remember to say, “Thank you, Lord.” Gratitude isn’t just a polite response, it’s an act of worship. It doesn’t say, “Give thanks when things are going well.” It says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” God’s goodness is constant, even when life is not. When we cultivate a grateful heart, we acknowledge that everything we have is from Him. Your family, your health, your ability to wake up each day—these are blessings from the Father. Honoring God starts with recognizing Him as the source of all good things. First, by speaking gratitude out loud—tell God, “Thank You.” Second, by showing gratitude in action. Help someone in need or share God’s love with others. Third, by living with contentment—trusting that God has given you enough for today. Thankfulness gets your mind off your problems and gets your mind on God! 2. Thanksgiving builds our (faith) as we acknowledge His work in our life. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [NKJV] In everything give thanks. Giving thanks in hard times doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It means trusting that God is still working for your good. Psalm 103:2 [NKJV] Counting blessings keeps us mindful of God’s provision and reminds us that even small gifts have eternal value. When we take time to count our blessings, our perspective changes and our FAITH grows. Counting your blessings is a spiritual practice that shifts your focus from scarcity to abundance. Thanksgiving aligns me with God’s for my life. All of us are created on purpose for a purpose! Jeremiah 29:11 [NKJV] Ephesians 2:10 [NKJV] Ephesians 2:10 [NLT] There is in a thankful spirit A thankful spirit transforms relationships and brings peace. Thankfulness brings peace by shifting our focus from ourselves to God’s goodness and His work in others. Colossians 3:15 [NKJV] Thankfulness softens our hearts and brings us closer to God and to each other. Think about Jesus at the Last Supper. He gave thanks before breaking the bread, knowing the suffering that was ahead of Him. His thankfulness wasn’t based on circumstances but on His trust in the Father’s plan. Let’s choose thankfulness and let it transform our hearts and lives.