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Written by Karla Dourado, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Brazil
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17 NIV)
Gratitude is an attitude that transforms lives and the way we relate to each other and to God. Words are important. They can edify, encourage, and convert. But true gratitude goes beyond what we say—it is demonstrated by our actions. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. Therefore, gratitude must be shown through our attitude.
Gratitude is action: Serving others, helping someone in need, or even carrying out community tasks are good examples of how we can manifest what 1 Peter 4:10 says: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.”
Colossians 3:17 invites us to reflect on the way we live our daily lives and the importance of recognizing and thanking God in every aspect of it, recognizing the blessings we receive, even in the smallest things. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Th 5:18).
As I write, I remember the times when I went through difficulty in an area of life: I could only focus on the problem. For some time now, I have been trying to practice gratitude. With this change in mindset, I have been able to defocus from the problem and see lessons for myself that I can share with others.
It was a simple choice, but it has had a huge impact on my life and consequently on those around me.
The depth of this biblical guidance continues to impact my life. The idea that everything I do must be done in the name of the Lord makes me realize that I need to be constantly vigilant so that what I say and what I do are aligned because this represents the faith I profess.
Two years ago, something happened in my life—a really challenging moment. Before, I would have let impulsiveness dominate me... but for two years I have been asking God: How can I act in this situation in the name of Jesus? With this, I have been choosing patience and empathy, rather than anger and guilt.
Instead of getting into arguments, I now choose to wait for God to act, with gratitude for everything that happened in these two years. It is not easy, but it is not impossible when we let the Lord direct us. Breathing and letting God act is rewarding, even amid difficulties.
Today, I can see God's care unfolding in every situation and I can thank Him with sincerity from my heart.
I encourage everyone who reads these brief words to be grateful in any circumstance and experience God's care no matter how complicated the situation seems to be.
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Written by Luzia Casali, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Once I bought a small piece of furniture online which needed to be assembled. Because it was small, I tried putting it together without the instructions. What a disaster! I had to redo it, following the steps in the assembly manual. Has anything like this ever happened to you?
In our Christian walk, we need Bible verses that guide us to know if we are building our life as the Father desires. Fortunately, God, through the apostle Paul, left us a true treasure to be our guide in our Christian journey.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17 NIV)
Have you ever considered how rich this verse is?
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed…”
When Paul says whatever, he means whatever—what we have done or are going to do in our lives as Christian women. And it goes further—it’s not just in action!!! We must also watch what we think. Our actions and thoughts must honor Him. Without a doubt, it is our faith that should drive this behavior.
But to know what we need to be, we need to transform our minds, as Romans 12:2 warns:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
By transforming our minds, we will transform our actions. But how do we do this?
We need to read the Word of God, participate in classes, and pray to the Father for wisdom. The Christian faith is a faith of action, not a static one. It's not just about knowledge; we need to put into practice what we learn from the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is a mirror to show us whether our attitudes are in accordance with God's will and whether we are following His will as daughters, wives, mothers, friends, professionals…
- As daughters: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Ex 20:12). This means showing them respect even when you don’t feel they’ve earned it.
- As wives: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" (Ge 2:18). We need to help our husbands for the growth of the Kingdom of God and the strengthening of the family.
- As mothers: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Pr 22:6). That's a promise! We must teach our children about God and salvation in His Son Jesus Christ.
- As friends: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 7:12).
- As professionals: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Col 3:23-24). As much as we may not like our superiors, we need to give our best, as if we were working for God.
“…do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
We need to have His authorization to act. A good illustration of this is when someone writes a check. It can only be cashed if the signature on the check matches that of the checking account holder. If it doesn’t match, the bank teller won’t cash it. The correct signature authorizes the withdrawal of the amount on the check.
Therefore, it must be very clear in our minds that our actions must be authorized by Christ.
“…giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Why give thanks? We cannot forget that we were bought with a high price: the blood of God's own Son. Therefore, what we do must always be done with respect, honor, and submission to the Lord. Because we were bought, our will is no longer ours; we must be submissive to the will of Christ. He must be glorified in our lives.
Christ died in our place, and it is thanks to Him that we have remission of our sins. Because of Him, the veil of the temple was torn and therefore we have access through prayer to the Eternal Father. And the most incredible thing is knowing that we will spend eternity with Him.
Always give thanks to Christ. Always have a grateful heart, no matter what you do.
Our challenge is to keep in mind that our attitudes must be to honor God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit—because Christ authorizes us.
And above all, always have a grateful heart!