Why should we give thanks to God?

Father Tony Chakkunga

Expressing thanks both in formal and informal communications is a usual practice in our country and our culture.

We lavishly use the word thanks. It is, in fact, a pleasant experience to give thanks. It gives happiness to the receiving person too, when expressed in real spirit and warmth.

We Christians should express thanks to the person who gives us pain and sorrows. We Christians have no enemies; everybody is our brothers and sisters. Our loving thanks with smiling face will change the person who gives us pain and sorrows.

One of the incidents in the life of Blessed Mother Theresa makes this point very clear. Mother Theresa, during her fundraising mission for the poor children, visited one rich and arrogant man. She stretched out her hands before him asking for money. In his anger the man cursed and spat into the outstretched hands of Mother Theresa. The Blessed Lady spontaneously thanked that man saying thank you for what you gave for me, but how about some money for my poor children?

This reaction of Mother Theresa brought about a sudden change of heart in that man and he gave a lot of money and apologized for his wicked act. Mother Theresa not only achieved her goal of collection but also changed a bad person to a good one by simply using the word thanks.

We have to express our thanksgiving to God with our tongues, which is free gift from God. We often misuse this tongue for cursing others, hurting and scandalizing other people.

If we use our tongues in proper way, many troubles could be avoided and peace could be achieved. St. James has dealt with this subject saying, “Man is able to tame and has tamed all other creatures, wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people who are created in the likeness of God. Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.” (James 3:7-10)

Psalm 50 verses 14 and 23 says let the giving of thanks be your sacrifices to God. Giving thanks is the sacrifice that honours me, and I will surely save all who obey me. We should thank God at all times; for nothing happens without the knowledge of God and everything is for our good.

If we can experience God’s presence in our life we will surely be able to praise and thank Him in all situations. As St. Paul has experienced and said, no adversities should separate us from the love of God. No other sacrifices but giving thanks pleases God and honours Him.

In all His prayers, Jesus first thanked His Father. Even in the last supper before raising the cup and the bread, Jesus thanked His Father in heaven. Then only He broke the bread and gave the bread and wine to His disciples as His own body and blood. While doing miracles, Jesus prayed and thanked His Father.

Thanksgiving God is an inseparable part of prayer. In 1 Timothy 1:12 we see how St. Paul gave importance to giving thanks to God. I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He judged me faithful and appointed me to his service.

St. Paul tells us as to why we should thank God and how we should use the help we receive from God. Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes. He helps us in all our troubles so that we are able to help others, who have all kinds of troubles using the same help that we ourselves have received from God (2 Cor. 3:4). Help others &...,.it is our Christian duty. We are the instruments through which God works. In order to realize this duty, and practice it in our lives, we need to be persistent in prayer and keep alert as we pray, giving thanks to God.