Vital Signs: Thursday, May 8, 2025

The Password of Praise: Living a Life of Thanksgiving

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.”—Psalm 100:4–5 (NKJV)

The prayer of thanksgiving flows from a heart that recognizes God's blessings. In the Old Testament, the temple was surrounded by gates and courts—symbolic thresholds before entering God’s presence. Psalm 100 teaches us how to approach Him: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” This imagery is more than poetic; it’s a spiritual blueprint. Thanksgiving is the password that opens the door into God’s presence.

To give thanks is to acknowledge that all we have is from God. While we may work hard for our possessions, it is God who gives us the ability to work, earn, and succeed. In a culture obsessed with material gain, thanksgiving re-centers us on eternal truths. It reminds us that what we own doesn’t define us—who we belong to does.

Materialism, however, remains one of the greatest idols of our age. It tempts us to find value in things instead of in God. But the practice of thanksgiving breaks that power. As we consistently express gratitude—for our families, jobs, health, community, and opportunities—we shift our focus from having more to honoring the Giver.

But it goes deeper than the natural. True thanksgiving flows from our identity in Christ. We are forgiven, redeemed, and made righteous—not by effort, but by grace. We are filled with the Holy Spirit, gifted by Him, and welcomed into the family of God as co-heirs with Christ. Giving thanks keeps our spiritual eyes open to these unseen blessings.

Thanksgiving also cultivates humility. When it’s hard to be thankful, we may have drifted into self-sufficiency. But God doesn’t delight in our gratitude because He needs praise—He delights in it because it reconnects our hearts to His. Gratitude reminds us: We’re not in control, and we never were.

Especially during seasons of prayer and fasting, thanksgiving becomes a powerful companion. When we deny ourselves food, we’re making a declaration: “God, You are my source. I thank You for what You’ve given—and I trust You for what I still need.”