Giving thanks to God matters because He is utterly deserving of it. 

      God loves us despite our selfish and evil ways.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:34).

      God is always good and generous. 

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25: 8,().

      God chooses to be merciful and kind merely because He loves us and wants to deepen our relationship with Him!

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8).

      God forgives our sins and heals us. 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5).

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

       When we put our trust in God, He gives us a position of righteousness. 

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

       God leads us through hard times.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7).

Giving thanks to God is crucial because He commands us to be grateful for all He has done.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7).

Giving thanks to God is crucial because He commands us to be grateful for all He has done.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done” (Psalm 1-4).

Giving thanks to God and worshiping Him should be a natural outpouring of our gratitude to God for all He is and for all He continues to do for those who are His children and His friends. 

“I will bless the Lord who counsels me—even at night when my thoughts trouble me. I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7 and 8).

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

Giving thanks to God is not something that comes naturally to us. We all have active, sinful natures that are quick to take credit for our health, wealth, and good fortunes. We tend to become prideful, entitled, and ungrateful for all God has done for us. However, when we become ill or injured and God chooses not to heal us, we are quick to throw a fist at God demanding a reason asking for why bad things happen to us. When God does allows us to experience pain, suffering, and sorrow, He always does it for a purpose of drawing us and other people to Himself.

God is pleased with heart-felt praise during hard times whether or not God chooses to heal a person. This kind of praise is impossible without the work of the Holy Spirit who guides us to see the bigger picture of all suffering, which brings glory to God no matter what the outcome. For the believer, when we die, we live forever with Christ in Heaven!

The promise of eternal life and hope is why we should always “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his;[ we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations!” (Psalm 100)