I’m not convinced of the power of positive thinking, but I am confident in the power of positive thanking.
Paul had a great way of expressing his gratitude to others: he not only thanked them, he thanked God for them…and then he told them what he had done. Consider these few examples:
- I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy. (Philippians 1:3-4)
- I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4)
- First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. (Romans 1:8)
- We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers (1 Thessalonians 1:2)
- For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; (Ephesians 1:15-16)
How did the people in Paul’s life know that he was grateful for them? Paul prayed for them and then told them he had prayed. Paul’s words do not seem pretentious, he doesn’t appear to be seeking praise, he wanted his readers to know how much he appreciated them–how much he loved them.
Paul prayed specifically. Notice some of his words, “your faith is proclaimed in all the world.” The Thessalonians learned that Paul prayed for them “constantly.” For the Ephesians, Paul was thankful for their “faith in the Lord Jesus.” The Philippians learned from Paul that he was thankful for their “partnership in the gospel, from the first day until now.” As Paul thanked God for Timothy, he was reminded of his “sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice” (2 Tim 1:5).
We would all do well to emulate Paul in this area of prayer and thanksgiving. Paul first went to the Lord to express his gratefulness toward the Father who is over all things, but he did not neglect to show his gratefulness to the people that God had blessed him with. Pray specifically for people in your life. Go to God on their behalf, but make sure to let them know just how much you appreciate them and how you have prayed. we know that prayer is powerful. But, you may be surprised to discover just how transformative the power of positive thanking can be.
