"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

To preserve in us the peaceable disposition, we must be thankful. It will take a thoughtful person to be thankful. Thoughtless people takes things for granted underestimating every benefits to be their rights and every blessings to be the products of their efforts, therefore, seeing no reason to be thankful to God the owner and the giver of everything.

The work of thanksgiving to God is such a sweet and pleasant work that it will help to make us sweet and pleasant towards all men. Instead of envying one another upon account of any particular favours and excellence, be thankful for his mercies, which is common to all.

Christians are called to peace, while we allow the peace to rule our hearts, we must also have peace with others and allow peace to reign in the whole body of Christ. Believers must not be the one making peace to elude the church or even the world at large, it is then we can be thankful and we can show that we are thankful.

1. Thankfulness: An Expression of Christian Contentment

Colossians 3:15; Ephesians 5:20

Thankfulness is an expression of contentment. Christians who complain instead of being thankful lacks contentment and the Bible thought us to be content (Phillipians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:6,8; Hebrews 13:5). Incontinent (2 Timothy 3:3) or discontentment is a sin that weakens faith and destroys our relationship with God. Covetousness is the opposite of contentment and the Bible calls it idolatry (Colossians 3:5), and we cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

Believers must be thankful whatever the situation or the condition.

Children of God must

Thank for all things. 2 Corinthians 4:15

Thank for enrichment and bountifulness. 2 Corinthians 9:11. Don't forget the giver

Thank for purity. Ephesians 5:4. When others are jesting and you don't join them

Thank always. Ephesians 5:20. When you're not doing anything give thanks

Thank in prayer. Philippians 4:6. Colossians 4:2. Always add thanksgiving to prayer as scripture admonished

Thank for having inheritance among saints. Colossians 1:12. Getting space in the house of God is something to be thankful.

Thank for getting established in faith. Colossians 2:7

Thank for opportunity to speak and do something in the church. Colossians 3:17.

Thank for all men. 1 Timothy 2:1; 4:4

Thank with songs. Hebrews 13:15

Thank God for ever and ever. Revelation 7:12. Stephen thanked God even at death.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

2. Thankfulness: An Exception in the Character of the Christless.

Colossians 3:15; Revelation 16:21

Christ-less people gives exception to thanksgiving. They criticize when they should be thanking God, they complain to God when they supposed to be thanking Him, they cry when condition is favourable or unfavorable because to them everything is wrong.  "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21-32.

Inability to thank God leads to Christlessness. It creates a void in the heart that breeds different evil inventions that eventually leads to antagonizing God and His word, His Name and His people. There are so many today that all they do is criticize churches, complain about men of God and condemn the word of God on social media and in public places to earn fame for themselves as apostates. When you're not thankful you'll be tired of the truth and get tied to careless, senseless and christless living which leads to perdition and eternal separation from God.

3. Thankfulness: An Endpoint to the Crisis of the Christlike. Our life will end in praise if we are thankful.

Colossians 3:15; John 9:1-3. Acts 16:25.

Thankfulness is acknowledgement of faith. Jesus prayer at Lazarus grave started with thankfulness and ended in praise. John 11:42,45

Concerning the man that was born blind, Jesus confirmed to the disciples "...Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:3)

We sing to be another Elijah in the world today to demonstrate the power of Elijah, bring down the fire like Elijah, raise the dead like Elijah but we are not thinking of living the life of faith and thankfulness of David, the sweet psalmist of Israel whose life ended in praise. Elijah due to lack of thankfulness often fall into frustrations and depressions.

Paul and Silas songs of praise ended their crisis in the Phillipian jail and brought them to fame in the midst of their enemies including the Italian jailor who was ultimately saved and brought into the Kingdom.