Day 14

Week 2: Day 14: Intimacy Is Deepened in Worship: Gratitude and Thanksgiving

“He (Daniel) went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” Daniel 6:10

When facing hardship or heading into a difficult trial, what is your first reaction? 

In Daniel 6, we see an 80-year-old veteran of faith whose daily worship had been tested and proven over six decades of hostile, pagan environments. The majority of Daniel’s adult life was surrounded by worldly and political pressures to compromise his faith. But through it all, Daniel remained strong in his faith, consistently choosing to draw near to the Father.

In Daniel 6:9, King Darius of the Medo-Persian Empire, manipulated by rivals targeting Daniel, signed an irrevocable decree condemning anyone who prayed to any god or man other than the king for thirty days, to a den of lions. Yet, when Daniel learned of the law, he didn't hide or compromise. Instead, he went straight to his upper room, knelt, prayed, worshiped, and gave thanks, just as he had always done. His response was not a panic-driven reaction to an emergency. His response remained steadfast as it flowed from a life rooted in daily intimacy, devotion, and praise. Even when faced with death, Daniel remained steadfast to the Lord.

Some of my most intimate times of prayer and worship have led to breakthrough in my mindset long before I see a change in a difficult circumstance. When we choose to ‘lock in’ to the Holy Spirit, intentionally remove all distractions, and immerse ourselves in God’s presence to worship him, my flesh becomes sanctified and I remember both who God is and who I am in Him. There have been times where instead of focusing on the trial I am facing, I make a conscious decision to offer up my gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord. These are defiant acts against the attacks of the enemy that let him know I place my trust and hope in the God who has already won my victory. Circumstances do not determine the goodness of God. He is always good and there is always something to be thankful for. Even if my feelings do not align with my words, I can persist in worship until my heart catches up to the proclamations I am declaring. Gratitude does not negate hardship, rather it says in spite of hardship, I choose to worship God.

When we are in the process of contending for breakthrough, gratitude and thanksgiving serve as reminders that we serve a God who is greater than our circumstances. The more we press into the very essence of who God is, not for what he does, gratitude and thanksgiving can be expressed regardless of how our circumstances play out. Like love, expressing gratitude and thanksgiving are not just feelings, they are a choice and serve as weapons against the lies and schemes of the enemy.

 As we cultivate a lifestyle of prayer and worship, practicing gratitude and thanksgiving, our desire for the Father increases and strengthens. Like Daniel, we can enter into worship and prayer, uncompromising in the midst of trials, so that our intimacy with the Holy Spirit is deepened rather than weakened. The circumstantial breakthrough is not the destination, intimacy is. 

Intimacy with God is meant to be the epicenter of the human experience.  It is where we draw our nourishment, strength, comfort, and joy. And it is meant to be a normal part of the Christian experience.  John of the Cross, a 16th-century Spanish priest and mystic, reminds us that the devil fears a soul in union with God as he fears God himself. What this means is that our intimacy, prayers, and worship with Jesus, in the midst of trials, every precious experience with him, is something that must be protected and fought for. 

Listening Prayer:  Father God, restore my union with you. Are there areas in my life where I have based your goodness on the circumstances of my life? Where do I need to change my perspective so I can have a constant rhythm of gratitude and thanksgiving?

Prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you that you so desire to commune with me.  Thank you that when I seek you, I find you.  Forgive me for judging you based on what you do rather than focusing on who you are. Forgive me for placing my eyes on my circumstances rather than trusting in you. Help me grow in gratitude and thanksgiving as an act of worship. I desire to create space for intimate prayer and worship between you and me. Help me to live a life where worship is a natural response to my circumstances, whether I am in a season of lament or thriving. Help me to live a life where intimacy with you is as natural as breathing. Amen. 

Resources: Bible Verse on Intimacy in Worship Through Gratitude and Thanksgiving

Psalm 34:1-3

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” 

Acts 16:25

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,”  

Hebrews 13:15

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”  

Psalm 63:1

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Worship Songs:

See A Victory (Elevation)

Gratitude (Brandon Lake)

Breakthrough  (meditative worship music) - William Augusto