This is the time of year that people think of giving thanks. It’s about time. Presumption isn’t an attractive attitude, whereas, appreciation is a winsome attribute.

The Bible teaches us to pray and to give thanks as we make our requests. In Phil 4:6,7, we read, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” In this week’sMessage About Purpose and Strategy, I’ll remind you of the importance of giving thanks to God for all he is and all he does for us.

Many of our grandmothers told us to count our blessings. They were right. This is good counsel. Thanking God concurrently as we make our requests shows faith. Sometimes we end up thanking him that he has the wisdom to not automatically give us what we want.

We don’t have all we want. We can’t move as fast as we’d like. We aren’t making progress at the pace we desire. But all we have is from God and all we have is for him as well. So we thank him. When things go well, we honor him. When they don’t, we still look to his hand, dependently and expectantly.

This week, and ever week, give thanks.