“21Because 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. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:21,22)
They knew God but were unthankful. Instead of being thankful, they became vain in their imaginations. They had foolish hearts, and these hearts were darkened by their foolishness, vanity, and unthankfulness. They thought they were wise, but really they were fools.
I know God. What happens when I am unthankful? I begin to trust my own judgment, to feel that I know better than God. “God has not given me what I need,” I start to think, and so I begin to devise ways to get what I need myself. Well, these ways will not work. The devising of them and the planning of them is vain and foolish because I have only my own wisdom. I cannot see the right way to do things. I think I am wise, but really I am a fool.
The Bible says, “4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
Why? Why be thankful to the LORD and bless His name?
“5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4,5)
What happens if I am unthankful? Well, the Israelites were unthankful. As a result, they quit listening to God’s word and obeying Him. Their spiritual life then went backward instead of forward. “But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.” (Isaiah 7:24) They went their own way, the way they thought was best for them instead of the way God had prepared for them. Therefore they went backward.
How can I keep from going backward in life? How can I keep from going backward spiritually? Be thankful.