Be Grateful
When King David learned that “the LORD blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he had, because of the ark of God” (2 Samuel 6:11–12), he did more than offer a token of thanks—he rejoiced with all his heart and ceremoniously transferred the Ark into the City of David. This ancient episode reveals that gratitude is not a shallow ritual but the key to genuine transformation of the heart. It is the inner joy awakened by thanksgiving that changes a person long before any outward change becomes apparent.
In the New Testament we encounter a new kind of sacrifice—the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Yeshua has already offered himself for our sins; now we offer praise not to earn God’s favor, but because it has already been poured out on us. The sacrifice of thanksgiving is not meant to alter the world around us, but to reshape the world within us.
Yeshua himself declared, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). When we approach the altar with our hearts rather than merely our words, we enter into a relationship grounded in trust and intimate fellowship with him.
Even a seasoned believer like David endured profound trials—family disgrace, betrayal by his children, threats of rebellion, and even the loss of his son. Yet he continued to lift his voice in praise. When you fill your heart with gratitude to God simply for who he is, something irreversible happens within: you find peace and confidence, even when circumstances remain difficult.
Thanksgiving shifts us from dependence on earthly blessings to dependence on our Heavenly Father. We give thanks not only for what we have received, but also for what is yet to come, for our faith apprehends the unseen and stands firm on God’s promises.
The apostle Paul affirms with certainty, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20). This means that every hope becomes a foundation for praise, even when its fulfillment lies in the future.
Filling our prayers with thanksgiving changes their nature. Instead of immediately voicing our requests, we first proclaim the greatness of the Lord, acknowledge his sovereignty, and celebrate the gift of life from above. Like David—who sang praise step by step before he even saw any external blessing—we learn to give thanks before we behold the harvest.
When a heart overflows with praise, it opens to God’s Word. Through thanksgiving, God renews our minds and transforms our perspective on life, enabling us to perceive his goodness in the smallest details of each day.
Scripture warns, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). May the wellspring of our lives be unceasing gratitude and praise that nourish our souls and strengthen us for each new day.
A heart turned toward God in thanksgiving becomes a true sanctuary where his presence dwells. It is here that the inner fortress is forged—an unbreakable stronghold that will stand firm through sorrows and withstand the onslaught of adversity.
Pastor Oren Lev Ari