Multiplied by the Power of Thank You

By Paul Dailey

Who would have ever thought that such a simple phrase could be so powerful? I have recently begun to discover, or perhaps rediscover, the power of thanksgiving. Have you ever been through one of those seasons when it seems like no matter how hard you climb, you just keep sinking further and further down into a bottomless pit of misery and confusion? How does the old adage go … “One step forward and two steps backward?” I’m sure you know what I mean.

Well, it was in the middle of a particularly hard day that I decided to give my dad a call. I got his voice mail because he and my mother were out of town celebrating their 32nd anniversary. I left a completely pitiful message. I was crying and complaining about how everything was falling apart. My budget was stretched tighter than Santa Claus’ waistband, which was putting an enormous strain on my marriage. It was beginning to affect our daughter because my wife and I were under so much stress. Worst of all, neither of us could see the light at the end of the tunnel. But how many of you can testify that God always makes a way when there doesn’t seem to be a way? Can I get an Amen?

Several days later, my dad finally caught up with me on my cell phone while I was at work. In hindsight, I can see that God orchestrated circumstances so that I had about 30 minutes alone. I was free so that my dad was able to share with me some great wisdom. Praise God for godly dads!

He began to speak to me about being thankful. He began to teach me that there is more to being thankful than just thanking God. He shared that it is possible to say “Thank You” without actually being a thankful person. Before I knew God, I thanked Him for what He did in my life. But as I have gotten to know Him, I spend more time thanking Him for who He is.

With every passing minute, the light in my soul began to shine brighter and brighter as God spoke through my dad. He was pouring His Words of grace and mercy over my heavy heart. Let me tell you! Within those 30 minutes, I became a different man. My dad asked me again, as he had on a previous occasion, “Do you want the money or do you want the faith?” Well, the right answer was obvious, albeit a little harder to grasp. Of course I wanted the faith. Any amount of money will always run out, but when you get a grip on real life-changing faith, you have tapped into a resource that makes a penny look like you’ve hit the jackpot.

In 2 Chronicles 20:21, Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, appointed singers to go before the army and sing this mighty hymn of praise, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they sang, the Lord fought for them against their enemies by causing confusion in the enemy’s camp so that they turned on one another. Judah collected massive amounts of spoil from the enemy without one single man raising his sword.

The same thing began to happen with my wife and me the very same day we set our hearts to thanksgiving. Not only did the cloud of despair and hopelessness lift immediately, but within one week, God orchestrated a $750 a month turnaround in our budget. As if that wasn’t enough, God set my wife free from a job she had grown to dislike and gave her three other job opportunities, with less hours, and significantly more money.

But before we saw any of this, I began to call all my friends and tell them how good the Lord had been to us. I wanted everyone to know what a loving, forgiving, gracious, compassionate, patient, merciful, kind, gentle, faithful, amazing, and wonderful God He is. David, the master Psalmist, wrote in Psalm 42:5-6:

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you…

So, if you are facing a mountain in your life that seems insurmountable, just begin to worship God for His awesome glory and majesty. Many times, the only thing holding you back is your lack of thanksgiving. It is evidenced in the Word time and time again; when God’s people remember God and worship Him with thanksgiving, He begins to work on their behalf.

Dig back in your memory to those things He has been to you in the past. Thank Him for what He has already done and what He has promised He will do. I assure you, if you do this, the cloud will lift off your life and you will begin to see God’s promise of blessing come alive. That is “multiplication by the power of thank you.”