How Do I Give Thanks to God When I Don’t Feel Very Thankful?

The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity will be back alive again on Monday. Will I give thanks to God when I don't feel very thankful. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity while happy Thanksgiving to you and to your family by Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We'd love to hear from you.

Here's our phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post a question on one of our social media sites and if you're busy this Thanksgiving we can feel free to email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Amber in Fort Wayne, Indiana Amber what your question for atrial is about yoga. I am a Christian that wants to practice it because I find it beneficial to my body but I don't want to do anything that is against my God or glorifies other not God Amber thank you for that question and grateful that this is something that you you want to think through ultimately want to you want to honor the Lord, I gotta be honest with you I have never done yoga, not because I buy you know think it's inherently evil. This is not the form of exercise that I choose. But I have known Christians who you know they go to yoga studio and and for them it's it's primarily exercise not, I don't know everything that happens and I know that there are different kinds of yoga studios. Maybe some that are going to be more unit incorporating more of the sort of pagan or anti-Christian ideas or or religion. And so I think that you have to be discerning part of the way I thought about this for myself is is is we receive this question before his you know going to first Corinthians chapter 8 in the discussion of the apostle Paul has concerning food that it's been sacrificed or offered to an idol.

He says in verse four. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol has no real existence and that there is no God but one.

For, although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords yet for us there is one God the father from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, Paul said that all possesses knowledge but some do former association with idols eat food is really offered to an idol in their conscience being week is defiled food will not commend us to God, we are no worse off if we do not eat when no better off if we do take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. In other words, I think.

I think this is really applicable here. People were were getting upset. They are in a the days of the apostle Paul in the Corinthian church because they would see other believers eating this this meat that had been sacrificed to an idol in it and then ended for them.

This was just scan lately. Couldn't they couldn't do that and and some of them are cost to stumble because that that you were coming out of these pagan backgrounds and impulses look, you guys are free.

You know that be vital in that if they really are nothing.

There's only one God in the world the true God the father thought of the Holy Spirit you know this, but not everybody knows this and some people maybe you have a weak conscience who are still struggling, you know that they see that food and they think they're participating in this pagan worship of what you have to be sensitive to them and so I would say for you is is your conscience defiled, if you will, by going to a yoga studio if it is, and if it's not that big of a deal, and in it you're not participating in this sort of pagan worship at this it's exercise it stretching it's good for your body. I don't think that you have anything to be concerned with. If it is something were maybe your ear coming from a New Age background or something like that and and every time you go in and maybe they do things and in that studio that there'd they're doing chance and whatnot it is. It is really hard for you to actually focus on on exercising because as all this other stuff that's be incorporated as well.

Then maybe I would say take a step back, but as I mentioned, I know I have never done it but I know that there are different kinds of yoga studios may be some that are going to focus more on just the exercise component and maybe others that are better also can incorporate some of the some of the religious background there and so I think you have to be discerning, but I think that there is a level of freedom here for you as a believer and that you need to exercise wisdom as you make this decision so can I just follow up with you every does this that does that answer your question, or do you want to go deeper.

Honestly, it really blew my mind. Alright, I let him know yeah I mean people talk about demons being released in your body.

If you do yoga poses with obviously not because Christ is within me, and therefore no dark could possibly be. So I knew that what I didn't want to. I don't know bowing to any other God.

You did totally right and I'm I'm glad that your encouraging me to think about relegated your diamond. I like to stretch before I run you know what if I do a stretch. That's accidentally in one of these poses that mean I'm to be, you know attack by the don't know if this is just totally crazy and also appreciate your your question and God bless you sister hey Amber, thanks so much for calling into court, Christianity, that's a great question.

I'm great! Let's go to Buck in Leavenworth, Kansas buck what your question for pastor. Israel will hey Buck, I can hear you. Okay, great.

You all know you know Lori you were God, now and lately realizing in August until the point in mild studies. You know Laura will you know judgment and condemnation in my shelf in my heart, my no limestone everything in the way that I've been loving still trying to get all the parents who want no relationship you know you know but you know I do stuff you know, realizing that Judas who know the ease Saul and King Saul the cane who murdered his brother Abel to normalize our federal like all of these men rolled into one know and realizing the leveraged point, you know, you know God whose know you know tomorrow. Soon so and because I just feel this total disconnect to normal wall of just hopelessness. You know you will not know just totally condemn Dr. like these men talk to me at the ask Buck you believe in Jesus Christ. I don't know if I believe in the Bible, since you know you know it's just because I'm likely should you know it. Follow me because you know I do know management is not for the cross surrendered as load so so book one. Thank you for the question. I can tell that this is something that really can concerned you face in the Bible. Since you are believing in Jesus and the been the biblical sense is not just affirming that he existed right that like like I buy believe Abraham Lincoln existed as a sort of historical faith and that that's not what it means to believe in Jesus, a part of it. We we do that you have this this knowledge of Christ through his word and so that's that is a part of a part of it weekly to accept that there's this assent, but that the key component is trust.

Do you trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins to confess your sins to him now we can truly do that genuinely do that and still struggle. In fact, as followers of Christ every single day were in a struggle with with sin even as were being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we sin against the Lord and thought, word and deed. We continue to bring our sins to God to repent of them, and to let his spirit put those sins to death. Now I don't know. In particular, you mentioned is some of some of your struggle and wanting to repent and and this is the sort of lifestyle think that you've you've done and feeling like he saw her feeling like Judas I eye my mind goes to Hebrews chapter 12 as I as I listen to you speak. Verse one. The author, the Hebrew said therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God brother. Whatever it is, whatever it is that clings to you lay it aside, looking to Jesus that that weight, that brings you down and he goes on to say in verse 12. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather healed strive for peace with everyone and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and by it many become defiled that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal for you know that afterwards when he desired to inherit the blessing. He was rejected for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. He's using the example of Esau here because the Christians that he's writing to Buck. They were being tempted to abandon Christ to leave the church and to go back to trusting not not in Christ. But trusting in the animal sacrifices of the old covenant for the forgiveness of their sins. That's a huge issue for not trusting in Jesus or trusting in something else.

Our own works are our own sacrifices were lost. We can't have eternal life of the call here is don't fail to obtain the grace of God will how you obtained the grace of God you receive it. It's a free gift. Buck it's for you. Not as a perfect person is someone who struggles as a sinner and so for you and for everyone listening right out just feels like man I I fail again and again and again. III struggle and I don't know if God will excite. Maybe he just left me him so bad know this. The blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to cleanse you of all of your sins. And again that's why the other.

He was considered the beginning that chapter in Hebrews chapter 12.

Look, let's let's lay aside every weight at that sin which clings so closely, let's look to Jesus and we look to Jesus we see him we see our sins conquered by what he's done and so my encouragement to you Buck is to take your eyes off for yourself and to raise them to Christ and to receive the grace that he offers to you to turn from your sins to him and to rest in him and to know my friend that it's going to be a battle that that were still going to struggle. It's a struggle that Paul talks about in Romans chapter 7. I encourage you to read Romans chapter 7. Maybe this afternoon to meditate on that text as as you seek to draw near to the Lord. And if you're not in a church, but I do know if you're if you're in it in a church be in a church where the word of God is faithfully preached where you can grow together with others. You can't be isolated in the Christian in the Christian life.

And if you are that's in a make it all the more difficult we need to be under the faithful ministry of God's word gathered with other believers growing together in the grace of God and even with that it's it's not easy it's still struggle, but the Lord is with you in that struggle and he's for you buck for your sanctification.

I want to say a quick prayer for buck right now. Let's pray, gracious father in heaven we know Lord that the devil would want us to believe that our sins are two great for your son that his blood is not sufficient for our forgiveness that that we've just done too much.

We failed to many times were hopeless. You don't care about us. Oh Lord, I pray you would help buck and all those who are struggling with this to lift their eyes to Christ for his work to the gospel and to see the ocean of his mercy and love, not for the righteous for sinners. Jesus pursues sinners struggling sinners. I pray for buck Lord that he would be able to rest in the love of your son Jesus in the forgiveness of your son Jesus as he confesses his sins and repents of them in that day by day, Lord.

You might draw near to you and that you would draw him to yourself. By the power of the Holy Spirit and Lord surround them with with faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who can encourage him in his walk with you. Be with them.

I asked now in Jesus name, amen and amen this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we want to take just a moment to wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving and later on got a question for you. I know you have a big Thanksgiving feast at your house every year. Do you have any special Hispanic items on the menu you kid me man. Of course we do bill legally have it all.

I mean, this is what we do.

We have like all the normal Thanksgiving stuff like turkey yeah I will of ours are you know dad already and cried himself by turkey and ham and mashed potatoes. I actually happen to make probably the best mashed potatoes in the world is 50% mashed potatoes and then like a ton of cheese and garlic cream drum is an honest but we got all that stuff and we also have Tylenol ice that my lesser RR on the menu for sure.

My my grandmother makes this soup. It's called both solely and it's honestly just the best thing so we have we have some of that we have all sorts of stuff villages we have it all and it's sort of this this clash of cultures that's beautiful man to sound so good I could not God would be coming over next Thanksgiving to your house because the number to bring all my families a better make extra we always have enough to feed a small village and there is plenty to bring everybody you know Bill and Philemon. So, okay, well, happy Thanksgiving to you and as we move towards Christmas. We want to tell you about a special free resource we have for you. That'll make your holiday celebration even more meaningful this year yeah at core Christianity. We've made a brand-new 25 day Christmas devotional called the promised seed on December 1. The devotional starts off with the fall in Genesis 3 and God's promise to put enmity between the seed of the serpent in the seed of the woman to short daily readings.

The devotional traces how God's promise of the seed of the woman would one day, and crush the serpent once and for all. And of course in the birth of Jesus, the promised seed has come to fulfill God's promise is what Christmas is all about start our new devotional highlights God's faithfulness in the Bible, and his faithfulness to us. Now, in the uncertainties of life. It's yours for free at core, Christianity.com. There really is an excellent devotional put together by our very own Dir. content Kendra Dall and she doesn't excellent job on this to get this free download of our new Christmas devotional just head over to core Christianity.com/Christmas.

Again, that's core Christianity.com/Christmas and you can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833.

Excuse me 843-2673 oil drill here is an email we received from one of our listeners named Jake and Jake says I know that in the Psalms, it says we should give thanks to the Lord and I know that this isn't just good advice, but I often feel uncomfortable giving thanks in prayer because I honestly don't feel very thankful. Is this a form of paying lip service and going through the motions, or should we practice giving thanks even when we don't feel like it. Well II think we are called to practice giving thanks if you will, to have a heart of gratitude and when we don't when we feel upset and we don't have the heart of gratitude drifted to begin to seek the Lord and to ask what it is you know that that that's causing this because we really do have so much to be thankful for.

Now, of course, you do have those calls to Thanksgiving throughout the Psalms in fact there there's a particular genre of Psalm called the Thanksgiving Psalm where typically the psalmist will will recount something difficult that they'd that gone through may be suffering may be the attack of of an enemy or something like that and and they can meditate on God's faithfulness is deliverance in their giving thanks to God. There are other Psalms where there is a lot of Thanksgiving. Sometimes the laments for example, can can just be God, why why are the things happening to me right now what you feel so distant, so there are season the in the Christian life, but I think of what the apostle Paul said in first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 16 rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and then in verse 18.

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Give thanks at all times. Give thanks in all circumstances. This is God's will for you now. I don't think that what he means by that is, we should be thankful for the evil things right that happen in the world is just LOL thank God for that.

No that is not what the apostle Paul is saying he saying look in and through everything we continue to thank God because he's good. Even though we don't always Wear would always see how his his plan is gonna work out in a good way. We know he's able to make all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Paul says in in Romans chapter 8 we think because he's in control because of his mercy, because of his grace, usually in Scripture you have you have Thanksgiving for a couple of things one God as creator into God's Savior, we see this in the book of Revelation that the hymns that are being sung to God and to Jesus. He's easy is praised as the creator of all things and is the Redeemer of his people and brothers and sisters we can give thanks to God in all circumstances, because those two things are true no matter what you're going to God is the creator of the world and is the creator. He's also the one who upholds all things by the word of his power.

The author, the Hebrew says in Hebrews chapter 1 that is it.

His providence is overseeing all things and and that Providence should lead us Thanksgiving to sing God you are in control. You are on the throne. I give you praise. You are the father in heaven. I give you praise I give you thanks for who you are, creator and sustainer. We can also friends. Thank God for his redemption for the mercy shown to us in his son Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins we might have. You know all sorts of difficulties in life, sickness, pain, sorrow, broken relationships, but that does not change the fact that God sent his son into the world to heal this broken world and to forgive the sins of his people and one day I'm the new creation is going to be ushered in, and the brokenness that we see around us is going to be restored. That something we look forward to. And right now the new creation is already breaking into that through the grace of Christ to the forgiveness that we receive in the church by his blood by his mercy, and so we give thanks for that. And so you can always thank God for his work in creation and you can always thank him for his work in salvation is give you one other helpful I think tip related to Thanksgiving that somebody shared with me years ago on it.

I've I think is good advice. He said, think about the things that you are blessed by in your life right now.

Make a list and maybe small things Lord I'm thankful for the fact that I have a car that runs right now, or Lord I'm thankful for that. For the home that you provided for me.

I'm thankful for this friend in my life and that friend in my life are for the church that you've blessed me with her for the fact that I can listen to, you know that edifying Christian content on the radio what whatever it is you make a list of those things and then it is is you. If you make that list cross each one off the what would be like. It did not have that and then and then after you've thought about that. Maybe Adam back and then back one by one.

Just think how how kind God is been not just it is as creator, not just as Redeemer, but in providing us with so many things that we oftentimes overlook and give thanks to the Lord while said will happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Once again we have a wonderful resource available to each one of our core guides. It's called five biblical reminders for Thanksgiving. You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/Thanksgiving again.

It's called five biblical reminders for Thanksgiving before we go to. Here's a quick of Facebook where question we received from Tom. He says Jeremiah 2911 is a verse commonly quoted as a personal promise. Others believe this verse is being taken out of context that Wayne was spoken by Jeremiah to the Jews regarding that specific time. Can you please shed some light on this particular passage down verse 10 for this is the Lord when 70 years are completed for Babylon. I will visit you and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil to give you a future and a hope. I know many people who take this verse and this is that's my life verse you know that the plans that God has for me.

In particular, this is this is speaking to those who are going into captivity and in Babylon is God's. And look, I'm not going to leave you. I'm not going to abandon you. II have a plan for you, for your future and ultimately that plan culminates in what in the setting of the sun and it in the gospel so I do think that we we can take this verse out of context, but in a general sense. I think we can see it as God's goodwill towards his people as his promise to provide for them never to leave them or forsake them. And that's a promise brothers and sisters that you have directly from the Lord.

The author, the Hebrews talks about this and so the God that we worship is the God of Jeremiah 2911. The God was good to his people and provides for their salvation for their healing for their salvation. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together