Sometimes God speaks to us about a thing until we get it. There have been many ways recently in which God has spoken to me about thanking Him for answers to my prayers before receiving them—and this morning it was literally a message on my tea bag. I usually drink my tea while running around trying to get the kids breakfast, pack lunches, and brush out that never-ending snarly hair. For some reason, this morning my eyes landed on the little tab hanging off the tea bag. It read, “Give thanks for unknown blessings that are already on the way.” I stood for a moment speechless, processing how our mighty God uses a tea bag to speak to me so precisely. I’m still marveling at the fact.
I am unsure how to interpret what God is saying to me, but I am paying attention. A few weeks ago, I had a dream in which I heard, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24 ESV). I don’t remember much else from the dream, but as soon as I woke up, it came to mind. It is familiar and not the first time God has highlighted it. This verse has always challenged me, and I’ve had my share of skepticism and caution on how to apply it. Some think we can name and claim any and every good thing we desire, and if we believe, it will be ours. But just because it is misused, does not change the truth of God’s Word and His miracle-working power. His Word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).
It was also during this time I recognized Judah’s prayers—that he was thanking God for the very things he was asking for. So, when he is praying for healing, he says, “Thank you God for Mommy to feel better. Thank you for Daddy’s arm to be healed.” A couple of days ago, it struck me how profound and full of faith this little prayer is, whether he knows it or not.
The same day, a good friend of mine shared with me that she was beginning to thank God for healing her knee instead of fretting and fearing the symptoms she was having. She said, “You know, Karis, the fear is just not working for me, so I am starting to thank God for healing and for however he is going to work good from this situation.” A day after this, I listened to a sermon emphasizing the importance of praise and thanksgiving as we await our answers from the Lord. What came to mind was Romans 4:20-21 speaking of Abraham’s unwavering belief, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Abraham’s faith grew as he gave glory to God. The focus of Abraham’s faith was God, and because he was convinced of God’s character, he did not waiver from the impossibility of his circumstances. Instead, he glorified God before he received what was promised, and was credited with righteousness because of his unwavering faith.
There are many reasons why thanking God before we receive his blessings is beneficial. Starting with thank you infers a simple trust that God knows what is best. Thankfulness demonstrates humility because it keeps us in a place of recognizing our need to receive. Whether we get what we want or not, we can be confident that God will give us what is best and will not withhold any good thing from us (Psalm 84:11). As we submit to and pray God’s will with pure motives, we can believe with assurance that he will answer us (1 John 5:14-15; James 4:3). It is also scriptural; we are to enter his presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2) and to offer up our prayers and petitions with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). Finally, it is true because as believers in Christ Jesus, we have received every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). We can walk through any trial or hardship with thanksgiving because we know what the future holds and the perfection that awaits us in heaven. So why not start thanking God now? Why not give him the praise and exercise our faith in believing before we see?
When we thank God in the places of our lives that do not make any sense—where we have not received the answers we’ve been asking for—it is an opportunity to offer up sacrifices of thanksgiving. Our time on earth is our only chance to live in the mystery of the unknowns and disappointments of life and yet continue trusting, believing, and thanking God. It’s OK for things to remain a mystery and not always make sense. We aren’t called to figure everything out. We are called to live by faith. When we are in heaven we will understand fully and will not need faith because we will see with our eyes.
So, with those areas in our lives, where we feel the greatest loss, disappointments, and confusion, let us place them before us; and with these very things in view, offer up sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to our God, who is worthy of it all. What we’ve experienced and do not understand does not nullify what we do understand to be true about God—that he is always good, perfectly faithful, and completely sovereign. So, even if you do not have the faith to give thanks for the things that are not yet seen, there are plenty of things to thank God for in the now.
