Growing in Thankfulness
The theme of thankfulness is a key emphasis for the Oasis community in 2024 — particularly given that this is the year for celebrating all the different ways that God has been at work since the church began 25 years ago!
Thankfulness is a topic that comes up 71 times in the New Testament; it’s hardwired into passages not just expressing gratitude for things that have happened, but as a powerful means by which we are invited to step into more of the life that God has for us.
That’s a radical concept.
It can be easy to see thankfulness as being like a luxury option in the car of the Christian faith, kind of like heated seats or parking sensors; it’s a nice feature, but we can drive fine without it. That if you have time to thank God, that’s great, but really it’s less important than many of the other things that might make up our daily walks with Jesus, such as petition (asking him for help) or repentance (turning away from sin). But the message of the Bible has always been that thankfulness is not a luxury option; it’s part of the engine of faith that powers our Christian life.
Pursuing a life which is increasingly marked by thankfulness isn’t just an appropriate way to respond to what God has done, it’s part of the very way in which we grow in faith in all situations, and become the kind of people that know what it is to live centred on Jesus whatever is happening around us. It is in the act of giving thanks — even in the midst of the challenges, complexities and celebrations of daily life — that God works to shape us more into becoming like Jesus.
Here are just a few examples of the ways in which the New Testament connects thankfulness with growth in all sorts of different areas of life:
Growing in unity with others
“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful” — Colossians 3:15
Growing in living and speaking for Jesus in all of life
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” — Colossians 3:17
Growing in a heart for worship
“Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” — Ephesians 5:18–20
Growing in a depth of peace
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” — Philippians 4:6
Growing in combatting temptation
“Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes — these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God” — Ephesians 5:3–4
Growing in understanding God’s will for your life
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus “— 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Growing in generosity and serving others
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” — 2 Corinthians 9:12
So, this week, my encouragement to you is to not let thankfulness be an optional add-on to your daily walk with Jesus. Instead, make it a core practice — knowing and trusting that as you choose to thank God, He will be at work within you shaping you more into the kind of person you are seeking to become!
