Being Blessed but Unthankful (Episode 116)

On the fourth Thursday in November, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in America. But also, God has called us to give thanks at all times. One of the most popular verses quoted this time of the year is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Paul writes, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” That is the focus of this podcast episode.

Since God commands us to give thanks, thanksgiving is important to Him. Moreover, since He has commanded us to give thanks, He has already deemed Himself worthy of thanksgiving.

Sometimes, we know we are blessed. But we fail to give thanks because we are not being blessed the way we want to be blessed. Or because we have not been blessed the way someone else is being blessed. The point is that we can be blessed and be unthankful at the same time, if we are not careful.

Consider these words of Paul the apostle: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6, NASB).  According to this verse, even while you are making requests for the things you need, you should offer thanksgiving for the things you have.

For instance, you may not have a house, but while praying for one, thank God for the apartment that you have. Or thank Him for the friend who has taken you in until you get a place of your own. Or you may need a dependable automobile to get to work. But while you are praying for one, thank God for the bus route that gets you to work. Or for the colleague who goes out of his way to pick you up every morning.

God's Displeasure with His People

In the days of Moses, God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, taking them to a land of their own. When they arrived at the outskirts of the Promised Land, the spies went in and checked out the land. They discovered that giants were living there and had to be driven out. When the spies returned and reported this finding to the people, they started murmuring, complaining and weeping. They even talked about returning to Egypt!

This made no sense. The people had been in bondage in Egypt all their life. God delivered them from Pharaoh and his army. God sustained them during their journey in the wilderness. Now they are one step from a land of their own. But instead of being thankful, the people were unthankful because of the giants in the land.

Israel’s failure to be thankful was due to a lack of faith in God. Joshua and Caleb, two of the spies, tried to encourage the people. They said, “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us” (Numbers 14:8, KJV). But the people refused to hear Joshua and Caleb.

The unbelieving and, hence, unthankful hearts of the people displeased the Lord. “How long will this people spurn Me?” God said to Moses (Numbers 14:11, NASB). “And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed in their midst?”

God caused all those unbelieving and unthankful men to die in the wilderness.

If the only time we can give thanks is when all things go well for us, we need to deepen our faith so we can in everything give thanks.