As Christians, we are called to give thanks to God for everything. An attitude of gratitude can change your perspective in any situation. Thanksgiving should not just be a once a year celebration, but a daily reality that will change your life. Thankfulness should be one of the distinctive marks of our lives as Christians.
No matter what you are going through, there is always an opportunity to give thanks to God. He is always faithful and loving, even when it feels like nothing else in our lives is going right. By giving thanks, you will change your perspective from focusing on your current circumstance to seeking God’s eternal, unchanging goodness.
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It is in our control to choose this attitude every day. A spirit of thankfulness makes all of the difference. When you start giving thanks, your life will be filled with a lot more joy and peace.
What the Bible says about giving thanks to God?
The Bible is full of God’s promises. God uses the Bible to remind us of His great mercy. He repeats important words, phrases, and concepts throughout Scripture to remind us of things we tend to forget. Everything we have or need in this life comes from God. When we show gratitude towards God, we will fall even more in love Him which will make us want to obey more, give more, and pray more. God wants our thankfulness and even commands it of us.
Colossians 3:15: And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.
Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.
Ecclesiastes 5:19-20: God has also given riches and wealth to every man, and He has allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.
1 Chronicles 16:34: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
1 Timothy 4:4-5: For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.
Psalm 100:4: Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
Psalm 106:1: Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
1 Corinthians 1:4: I always thank God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Jesus Christ.
Reasons to be Thankful to God
There are so many reasons to be thankful to God on a daily basis. Sometimes we lose sight of what is right in front of us. The fact that you are alive and reading this should be enough to be grateful. Every morning when you wake up, God has created a new day for you to start fresh and enjoy. You have friends, family, food, clothes, clean water, jobs, cars, a warm place to sleep at night – whatever it is be thankful!
Gratitude for the Gift of Faith
Our good God deserves our shouts of praise. Gratitude for the gift of faith is the right response to God and His grace in our lives. A gift we don’t deserve nor have earned. No other gift could be more valuable or precious. God is so wonderful and amazing that He sent His One and Only Son to die for our sins. Jesus suffered the full extent of our wrath so that we might be reconciled to the Father. We give Him nothing yet He gave us all. He is the ultimate example of sacrificial love.
We should give thanks to God because we have hope in something better – Christ as our treasure. In Christ, we have eternal life. Because of Him, we have been forgiven and set free. We are now sons and daughters of the heavenly Father and have been brought into His family. Furthermore, we have complete and total access to the throne of grace and share in Christ’s inheritance. That seems like a good reason to be thankful to God.
Thankful to God for His Blessings
Are you constantly preoccupied with what you don’t have? Or have you learned to give thanks to God for what you do have?
We take for granted the things God has given us until they are taken away. More often than not we want more than what God has given us. However, if you focus more on what God has already given you, you will focus less on what you don’t have.
There are many blessings that come from being grateful for the things that God has given us to enjoy. When we shift our focus, our eyes begin to see God’s work in our lives more frequently. We learn to recognize Him in the smallest of gestures and our perception of Him becomes clearer. He is our provider and gives you exactly what you need. He is our source of strength and comfort. So be thankful to God for His blessings.
Give Thanks to the Lord for He Is Good
There is a lot of brokenness in this world and it is hard to see God’s goodness sometimes. Can we still be grateful for God in hard times? Yes, God is good all the time. The Bible says so (see above). God’s goodness does not falter from one moment or the next. Even in hard times, His goodness still prevails. Even more so, He is working for our good and His glory.
Our circumstances do not dictate or define God’s character. Every good thing in our lives is an act of grace from our loving and merciful heavenly Father. His love endures forever. Therefore, we can have a constant attitude of gratitude no matter our circumstances. He promises to pursue us with goodness and mercy all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6).
Thank God in the Midst of Trials
It is not easy to be thankful in every circumstance. In this lifetime, we are not exempt from experiencing trials and suffering. In some parts of the world, it is very dangerous to be a Christian. And yet in the midst of trials and suffering, we can give thanks to God because He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. He uses these times to draw us closer to Him as well as be a light for someone else who may be suffering. We can be grateful for His ultimate promise that one day He will wash away all suffering at the second coming of His Son Jesus Christ. Oh, what a glorious day that will be!
Even if it is the last thing you want to do, thank God in the midst of trials. He is transforming us in the process to be more like Christ. Plus, it will defeat the darkness and the enemy will lose the battle against you. Satan is stopped in his tracks when you have an attitude of gratitude towards God.
Prayer of Thanks for Blessings
We are to give thanks for what He has done for us and for who He is. We can be grateful that He hears our prayers. He hears our cries for help and answers by healing our souls. So join me in giving a prayer of thanks for the blessings in our lives.
“Lord, I love you and thank you for all that you have done for me. Help me to seek your goodness and faithfulness. I ask that you help me to be more grateful for the things I take for granted. Help me enjoy the little and big things in life. Help me see you in and through it all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
As we go into the holiday season and new year, don’t forget to pause and give thanks to God for everything. We have every reason to be thankful!
**Verses used in this post were taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible Translation.
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