The Catechism in a Year answers the question (555); When is thanksgiving to God? Thus “The Church gives thanks to God unceasingly, above all in celebrating the Eucharist in which Christ allows her to participate in his own thanksgiving to the Father. For the Christian every event becomes a reason for giving thanks.” For further reading: CCC 2637-2638.  Paul put it this way in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray at all times, and be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.”

     God created you from nothing and without your efforts. For a special purpose, He created you and kept you till this moment. The sun, the moon and the stars he made to shine on you even when you do not deserve the pleasure.  God provides all your needs and still promise to take you to His paradise after your earthly life. For that to come to pass, He asked you to obey His simple commandment, “Love God and your neighbor as yourself”. He went further to remind you that, “It is only when you abide by Him that you can bear fruit, fruit that will last”.

     We take for granted the suns warmth and the nourishing rain without thanking God for them daily. We also take for granted the water we drink and bath with daily, the air we breathe every second and minute of the day without thanking God for these and many more! We were told recently how a 78-year-old man wept profusely when he was charged N500, 000.00 for the oxygen he used for just 24 hours in a hospital. Right before the doctor, he wondered aloud saying if he could be charged so much just for a day, then how much is he owing God for the air he breathed for the past 78 years?

     You can journey from London to Nigeria by flight and arrive at your destination same day. You own many houses and other financial projects and attribute these and many more to your financial ability and so decide not to thank God for them. But you have forgotten that if the Lord does not build the house, the builders will labour in vain!

     Thomas A. Kempis once said, “Be grateful, therefore, for the least gift and you will be worthy to receive more. Nothing is small that comes from the Most High God. Indeed, even if He sends punishment and affliction, we should accept it with gratitude: For whatever He permits to happen to us is always with our salvation in view.” Romans 8:32 complemented the above saying, “God gave us His Son, will He not also freely give us all things?” Yes! He will as He has always done!

     Do you realize that one of the greatest miracles in our life is to sleep and wake up to see a new day! Lamentation 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” So, when you rise each morning say with Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.”  With this acknowledgment, commit the day into God’s hand and let Him fulfill His plans for you.  

    Value what God is doing for you and say with Paul in 1 Cor 14:15, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit but I will sing also with my mind”. Because Peter valued what Jesus did for him at their first meeting, he left his fish and boat and followed Jesus in appreciation. When you raise your hand to give thanks, as your hands are coming down, God will fill them with more blessings. So, Jesus made Peter a fisher of men as well as the rock on which he built his Church.

      No matter the situation, pray and praise Jesus, the God of impossibilities. “Is anyone among you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? He should sing praises” Jas 5:13. Man has short memories: God has been protecting and providing for you over the time. Each time the wind blows, you cry bitterly as if God has abandoned you.  And when God calms your raging storm, you should thank Him. Ps 150:6 says, “Praise the Lord, all living creatures” Any river which forgets its source will have to dry up. The song, “All I have is given to me by the Lord” says it all. Remember that you are from God and will return to Him who created you for a purpose. Attribute all your achievements to Him who gave you life and watches over you.

     Today, we all (both poor and rich) live by the grace of God irrespective of the current hardships and insecurity in our country. Unfortunately, not many people appreciate the fact that God is the one sustaining us. You do not have to device unrighteous means to meet your needs; God has not abandoned us. Every problem has expiring date. Hence, decide to pray and wait on God to do the impossibility. Almighty God, open our eyes to recognize your favours and blessings  that come upon us from your throne daily and grant us the grace to value and be thankful for them!

     Jesus came down to the earth in form of man that we may have life in abundance; He died to bring us life! God loves us not because of our goodness or achievements but unconditionally. “You have done many things for us, O Lord our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all-their number is so great!” Ps 40:5. O Lord, please forgive our blindness to the countless miracles that grace our days; open our eyes and hearts to the wonders you do in our daily lives and cultivate in us, the spirit of gratitude to enable us appreciate your love for us. 

     Count your blessings daily; name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done for you. From the rising of the sun to its setting, He works wonders in your life most of which you may not even know, yet you complain more and thank him very little. Try to sing this song daily: “All of my life, I will praise the living God. My heart is full of joy; I will bless his holy name…” Sing with me:

 Count your blessings,

Name them one by one,

 It will surprise you,

What the Lord has done!