A Hidden Key in Giving Thanks

Remember the miracle of the five loves and three fish? And the seven loaves? There may be a hidden key for us found in these miracles Jesus did.

"So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples . . . They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them before the multitude." Mark 8:6-7

"And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loves to the disciples..." Matthew 14:19

"And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples..." John 6:11 (bold emphasis added)

In these verses, we see a connection to giving thanks for something and blessing it. Jesus gave thanks for the small amount of food when it was clearly not enough. Does giving thanks for something (or someone) impart a blessing to it? Was giving thanks the key to the miracle of multiplying the food? Does God use our thankfulness as an ingredient for miracles?

We also know that it is the will of God for us to give thanks in all things (circumstances, situations, seasons, places, etc.) as the Apostle Paul reveals in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. God cares about and takes note of our thankfulness. I also heard a past teaching from the late Derek Prince, and he talked about praying for someone's leg to be healed and how he felt he should give thanks for the leg while praying. And the leg was healed.

So, how can we use this powerful tool of thankfulness and invite the power and presence of God into our prayers and lives more and more? Here are some things to ponder:

Give thanks for what you have, even when it's not enough, not perfect, incomplete.
By giving thanks for something or someone, a blessing is imparted to it.
If we want to see miracles, giving God thanks may be involved.

God, we give thanks for Your presence! Thank you for the many blessings You have provided. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit, for the peace You've left with us, for the mind of Christ that we have, and for Your healing power at work in us. In Jesus' name, amen.