Thanks is the doorway of God to reveal His purposes.

1Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What is thanksgiving? Is it a feeling? Is it an emotion? Is it something we do because we should? What does it accomplish? What is its power over evil?

True thanksgiving is the power in the human heart to get past the fiery trial, to set aside difficulty and look past the things that anger and upset us.

True thanksgiving leads all of us to look to the One who made us. To call out to Him in faith thanking Him for those things. 

Romans 8:28 (NKJV) says:

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

The hard things. The impossible things. The crazy things that happen to you. Thanks is the doorway of God to reveal His purposes. Giving thanks shapes you into a true disciple of His. Thanks trusts always, hopes always, looks to the one who works all things together for good. Thanks is the vote of confidence in God. When we thank Him even in the midst of the fiery trial, we are saying we accept His will and all that comes with it. We trust He will work in us. We trust that He is able. We trust He will teach us. We trust that His Word is truth.

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

⁵ For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

On this Thanksgiving Day, we have lots of things that are easy to give thanks for. Healthy children, food and shelter, warm clothes on our back and good friends.  The hard things are hard to give thanks for. Give the difficult things to Him today and thank Him for taking them and transforming you today. Jesus is waiting.