Why Do We Need to Hear "Thank You"?

It takes less than two seconds to say it.

But when someone forgets to say it — fights break out, relationships crumble, and it takes decades to mend what two seconds could have prevented.

I've asked myself: how do I do the work without expecting a "thank you"? I didn't realize the importance of this word until the time I felt like I was taken for granted.

How many times have we forgotten to thank the person who helped us out? Countless. But when someone forgets to thank us — maybe just once — it becomes the only thing we'll ever remember.

I realized this because I felt it too. The feeling of working for someone, going all the way out of your comfort zone, and not being appreciated for it. That sting. That quiet anger. That thought of — "Was I not enough?"

And you know what? Yes. It is a basic human thing to want appreciation. You might even think — what's wrong with that? If I do something good, I deserve to be appreciated.

But I think you're forgetting something.

The first sin that ever happened in this world was not disobedience. It was not lying. It was not murder. It was pride. Because of pride, Lucifer — the most beautiful angel God ever created — rebelled against God and got eternally damned.

And when we look to be appreciated by our peers, when we fish for compliments, when we replay our own good deeds in our head waiting for applause — we are feeding that same pride. We're increasing our own head-weight. And that head-weight, whether hidden or obvious, is pride in disguise.

"You deserve it. You worked for it."

But in reality — what do we deserve? What did we actually do to deserve anything? Every ability, every opportunity, every breath is a gift. We didn't earn it. We received it.

Now I'm not saying I'm perfect. I feel pride every single day. Every time I try to do something good, before I've even finished doing it, my brain goes — "See that? That was done by ME. I'm so cool."

Every. Single. Time.

But you know the easiest way to remove pride?

Through the name of Jesus.

When the feeling pops up — "I am so good and I have done it" — don't fight it. Just add to it.

"Yes, I am good. And I have done it — through the help of Jesus. I am nothing without Him."

That's it. That one sentence takes the crown off your head and puts it back where it belongs — at His feet.

You don't have to stop feeling proud. You just have to stop keeping the glory for yourself. Give it back. Every time. And over time, the "thank you" you were looking for from people starts to matter less — because the only approval that matters is already yours.

He sees you. He knows what you did. And His "well done" is worth more than a thousand "thank yous" from the world.

💛

If you need someone to talk to — about pride, faith, feeling unappreciated, or anything at all — mail me at randomthoughts852@gmail.com. I'm just a stranger who cares.