Motivations of a Thankful Heart

Psalm 147:1

Thankful people can be found in every walk of life; in every economic level. Thankful people can be found on almost any job, and in almost any set of circumstances. The difference between a thankful person and an unthankful person is not so much what life has done to them, as what they have done with life.

Unfortunately, human nature, left to its own devices, finds its way to the lowest and easiest ground. And it is certainly much easier to find fault and complain than it is to compliment and give thanks. But the Bible repeatedly urges the Christian to a higher plane of living. Christians are people who are marked by a spirit of praise and thanksgiving.

In Psalm 147:1 the psalmist supplies three motivations for this spirit of praise.

MOTIVATION #1    Praise is GOOD.

  1. Because it is the fulfillment of our duty.
  2. Because it transforms our spirit, granting us an opportunity to practice doing the work of angels.
  3. Because it is a means of paying our debt to God.
  4. Because it is a means of keeping an open line of communication between ourselves and God.

MOTIVATION #2    Praise brings PLEASURE.

  1. Because praise springs from the heart.
  2. Because praise gives us an opportunity to do what we were created to do.
  3. Because by so doing we please the One who loves us most.
  4. Because praise has a way of calming pain.

MOTIVATION #3    Praise is beautifying.

  1. Nothing tarnishes beauty like a bitter, haughty, ungrateful spirit.
  2. On the other hand, a spirit of thankfulness adds charm and grace to any character.
  3. It gradually replaces the lines of worry.
  4. It relaxes the mind to concentrate upon other, more worthwhile, pursuits.
  5. Jesus taught us to pray, “Lord, forgive the debt my neighbor owes me, just as you forgive the debt I owe you.”
  6. That prayer flows from a spirit of thankfulness and praise. It surely helps to create a more beautiful person.

CONCLUSION

There are many ways to express praise and thanksgiving. But however it is expressed, thankfulness and praise is a choice.People know you by the light and cheer you radiate, or by the gloom and despair you spread. Thanksgiving is the time of year when we assess which kind of person we are.

Praise is good, pleasant, and beautifying. I urge you to choose it as the trademark of your life.