Thankfulness and the Will of God

She never says it, but it's visible in her disposition. She never verbally acknowledges it, but it is heard in the tone of her voice, and the responses to the reporter's questions. 

The woman is obviously thankful. God answered her prayers for protection for both her,

and the dog.   

The attitude of gratitude—as we often call it—changes the frequency of life.

A Thankful person manifests his or her gratitude in disposition, emotional outlook, and attitude. Gratitude regulates attitude. How many thankful negative people have you met? I have yet to find many thankful negative people.  

We should make it our aim to become more grateful. This positive frequency will change the frequency of your marriage, your family, your workplace, your school, and your

church. 

Reading through Colossians, I stumbled on the word "thankful," or "thankfulness" several times. Deeper study reveals the Greek word 'Eucharistia' is used in every occurrence, except one. The word "Karis" is the exception. It's in the form of both imperative and indicative verbs, as well as nouns and adjectives. The frequent use exposes a main theme for the book, which is gratitude.  


 

Paul wrote the letter to combat false teaching within the church. The greatest weapons for combating heresies are truth and spiritual growth. Growing in truth enables God's people to deal properly with both doctrinal and practical problems arising in the church.  

There's a link between spiritual growth and gratitude. Thankfulness characterizes healthy, growing, maturing Christians. Therefore, an attitude of gratitude is essential to changing the frequency of life. The prayer in verses nine through twelve of chapter one gives understanding to the relationship between thankfulness and the will of God. You begin changing the frequency of life by gaining a fuller understanding of the will of God.  


 

Gain a Fuller Understanding of the Will of God  

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9). Paul is praying for the church to have a deeper understanding of God's will. The reason he prays is simple: God is the source for understanding his will.  


 

It's important to understand the "knowledge of his will" in the context of Colossians. The false teachings Paul is combating are detrimental to the doctrine of the person of Christ. As a result, Paul gives one of the best, if not the best, Christological passages in the New Testament in verses one through twenty-three of chapter one. With this in mind, the knowledge of his will is Christ-centered. Paul prays for the church to have a greater understanding of Jesus Christ, and a deeper experience with Jesus Christ. However, this doesn't passively happen to the Christian. A fuller understanding begins with the inward work of the Spirit of God.  


 

Inward Work of the Spirit of God

The means by which the Christian is filled with the knowledge of the will of God is "in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." The "spiritual" aspect speaks of the inward work of God's Spirit. Christians receive spiritual wisdom and understanding through the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, we must have the indwelling the presence of God's Spirit. The Spirit of God indwells those who have been born-again. A fuller understanding also depends upon the outward exposure to the word of God.  


 

Outward Exposure to the Word of God

Only God's inspired word can give us spiritual wisdom and understanding. Christians must be exposed to God's word daily. The last element to gaining knowledge of the will of God is the upward practice of prayer with God.  


 

Upward practice of prayer with God

Paul prays for fuller understanding of God's will, and so should we. Prayer is crucial in understanding God's will. Our prayer life must be consistent. It must be concerned for, not only our own spiritual condition, but also the condition of others. It must confidently approach Jesus. James understood the importance of prayer, "If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).  

 
 

Christians gain a deeper experience and understanding of God's word by the inward word of the Holy Spirit, the outward exposure to God's word, and the upward practice of prayer with God. When we gain a fuller, greater understanding of God's will, the transformation of the frequency of life takes place.   The motivation to experience the transformation of the frequency of life is the desire to please the Lord.  

 
 

The Desire to Please the Lord 

 
"So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him" (Colossians 1:10a). Gaining a deeper knowledge of the will of God leads to a life worthy of the Lord. In fact, the purpose for gaining greater knowledge of God's will is to please the Lord.  

 
 

When you change the frequency of your life, you are allowing the Lord to conform your conduct to his character. The Christian becomes am an imitator of God when the frequency of life is in tune with God. This is the result of gaining a fuller understanding of the knowledge of God's will. In the same manner, the basis for pursuing a deeper knowledge is the desire to please the Lord.  

 
 

Arrive at our home and you will be greeted with a warm welcome and gift. It doesn't matter your identity; you will be greeted with a gift. The gift can be anything, a shoe, dirty laundry, cell phone, etc . It's whatever is available on the floor at the time of arrival. The gift bearer is a golden retriever named Shiloh. My Attempts to stop his generosity has been in vain. Why? It's in Shiloh's DNA to please people, especially his family. Likewise, Christians must make priority to live for God's good pleasure.  

 
 

When you desire to please God and pursue a greater knowledge of God's will, the transformation of the frequency of life will be evident. In fact, the frequency of life that is worthy of the Lord exhibits distinct characteristics.   

The Distinct Characteristics

Located in the subsequent verses are four participles modifying the verb "walk" in verse ten: “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1:10-12). These phrases describe the different characteristics of a life frequency in tune with the Lord. There’re three distinct characteristics of a life frequency worthy of the Lord.  

 
 

Fruitful

A pleasing life is fruitful: "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10b). Jesus himself said, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples" (John 15:8). Fruitfulness involves activities and service for the Lord such as evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship. It also involves conduct and attitudes exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, which glorify God.  

 
 

There's an interesting connection between "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." When God's people increase in the knowledge of God on account of bearing fruit, the knowledge is more than intellectual. It's experiential knowledge. When you obey—bear fruit—you grow in your experience with the Lord. In short, you must abide in Jesus to be fruitful, and as you abide in Jesus, you increase in your experiential knowledge of him. It pleases God when his children flourish and are fruitful.  

 
 

Powerful

A worthy life is powerful: "May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience" (Colossians 1:11). When your frequency of life is in tune with the Lord, it's characterized by a strength and power for living the new existence you have in Christ. The power that God gives strengthens us to remain steadfast under trials. It enables us to be content in bad and good situations. It's the power that Paul spoke of when he declared: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).  

The endurance and patience Christians need are grace gifts from God. For it is "according to his glorious might" that God's children can stand the test and receive the crown of life that God has promised to all who love him.  

Thankful 

The frequency of life pleasing to Jesus is grateful: "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:12-14). Christians should be the most grateful people in the world, no matter what the circumstances.  

 
 

Regardless of what you are going through, if you have been born-again, and are a child of God, you can be thankful because you have been qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints. You can be grateful because you are a part of God's kingdom where Jesus Christ rules. You can be full of thanks because you have been forgiven of all your sins. What a reason to be thankful! God's people have a hope and a future.  

Do you know Patsy Wilson? She's a dear sister in Christ, who lives on a frequency in tune with the Lord. She has experienced tremendous heartache over the years. Even so, she's always able to find something, even in the hardships, to be grateful for. Her gratitude has taught me a great deal about thankfulness, and how it changes the frequency of life, if you allow it.  

 
 

The frequency of life in tune with the will of God is fruitful, powerful, and thankful.