Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all that we have. Christians contemplate God’s goodness because He is so much more than we could ever ask for or imagine. In triune perfection, God is in His own league. We chose to be with Him, or not.

Understanding who God is defies human logic, and, yet, we are called to know Him and love Him. Comparing God to anything seems wrong to me, but this is how we learn to comprehend the complex. God knows the condition of every human heart and cannot be fooled. If we truly know and love our Creator, He will chastise us when we sin and draw us back to Himself in order for us to be in perfect union with Him through Christ.

Although God is the greatest complexity, the simplest person can relate with and love Him. The most sophisticated technology mimics and fools us into thinking that it is a sentient being more powerful and knowledgeable than we are, but it is not. It cannot, nor can we, scratch the surface of understanding God. While technology is a powerful tool that can be used for good, we must be wary of its handlers and its influence. As with all things in life, we thank God and ask for His wisdom in discerning what is of Him.

The fact that God created us in His image to relate with Him is reason enough for our hearts to be filled with thanksgiving. As children and immature Christians, we learn to be grateful to God for everything He is, all that He provides, and all that He does for us. We learn to begin every morning, every meal, and every evening being thankful to God for His gracious bounty. The Bible teaches us how to be part of God’s faithful family.

As we live with technology and all that it may accomplish in aeronautics, manufacturing, and medicine, we see how the tech world pales in comparison to God. Humans cannot fathom God’s power, but we must trust it. From the depths of my spirit, I believe that within every true Christian lies gratitude to God for all that He is and does. As we learn about and draw closer to God, we love and praise Him more and resist Him less. Criticizing God is evil.

In trusting God before all else, Christians reach the point where they stand for everything that God is and says is good. They realize that they exist only because of God and feel His pull on their hearts in every area of their lives; nothing is coincidental and without consequence. They know that God’s Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces to divide the soul and the spirit, joints and marrow, and it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart, as the writer of the letter to the Hebrews so eloquently expresses (Heb. 4:12). Every fiber of their being yearns to please God and to be with Him.

Christians gratefully watch a sunrise or sunset, hear birds chirp or lions roar, feel a frigid wind or the sun on their faces, taste favorite foods or eat the distasteful to regain health. They trust God and know that He works everything together for those who love Him wherever they are: hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, or schools. It never ceases to amaze me how those who have had the greatest suffering are often the ones who forgive the easiest, are less judgmental, and love and praise God the most.

People who have been abused by those calling themselves Christian (even by their own parents, family members, or church leaders) understand that their suffering and pain offered them the greater good. Unlike in most public places, in many places of hardship, such as prisons, the streets, and homeless shelters, people can readily obtain Bibles. They appreciate and give thanks for God, His Word, and the hope of heaven.

Some people appear eager to usher in a society where they will own nothing, have less work—or none at all—and be quite content with robots replacing human labor. But Bible believers know that this lifestyle is anti-God, just as are the pagan rituals, drunkenness, and sexual immorality of which Jesus warns. These go against the family unit and the biblical work ethic that God ordained and for which Christians thank God.

While Canadians celebrate their official Thanksgiving in October and Americans celebrate theirs in November, God’s children know that every day is a day to give thanks to God. They are grateful to their heavenly Father who provides them with everything that they need and is there with them through their hardships and suffering. Thanksgiving, like prayer, is not just for fair-weather friends. Giving thanks and praise to God is essential for every moment of every day for the Christian.