God is a loving Father who continually pours blessings into our lives. But sometimes we forget to thank God for who he is and what he does for us. It’s essential to express our gratitude to God regularly, as the Bible makes it clear that giving thanks is a powerful practice in our relationship with God. When we develop an attitude of gratitude, we can see God’s goodness, celebrate God’s faithfulness, and recognize the countless blessings God gives us. This transforms our perspective, so instead of focusing on what we lack, we can focus on our loving God, who is always working to give us the best. Here are 10 Bible verses on gratitude.
The Call to Give Thanks in All Circumstances
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
This verse highlights three essential ways to live out God’s will for us: rejoice, pray, and give thanks constantly. No matter what circumstances we face, God wants us to experience joy, to communicate with Him in prayer, and to express gratitude. It’s possible to do so when we ask the Holy Spirit to empower us – and when we do, our perspective will change, allowing us to see beyond our challenging circumstances in this fallen world and focus on the good work that God is doing for us in the midst of those circumstances.
Take action: Gratitude is God’s will for your life. Even on a tough day, deliberately find something to thank God for. Doing so will help you change your focus from your immediate trouble to God’s eternal character. Try keeping a record of specific challenges and blessings in a journal. Next to a challenge you’re facing, write a corresponding blessing or past answered prayer from God that gives you hope now. Over time, that will help you see new challenges that come into your life as situations that God will help you with, because of his goodness and faithfulness.
Thanksgiving as a Sacrifice of Praise
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” – Hebrews 13:15
Hebrews 13:15 defines our praise and thankfulness as a “sacrifice.” This implies that giving thanks isn’t always easy or convenient for us. It can actually take a lot of effort to give thanks when we don’t feel like it. When we choose to do so anyway, our thankfulness becomes a spiritual offering that honors God. Praise raises our perspective, as well, so we can notice more blessings to be thankful for.
Take action: When it’s challenging for you to give thanks, remember that it’s a sacrifice to do so. Choose to thank God anyway. Praising God through thanksgiving pleases God more than when it’s easy to thank him, since you’re showing God that you’re valuing him above your feelings. When you wake up feeling tired or dreading the day in front of you, start your day by speaking three blessings you’re thankful for out loud. This will help you choose to thank God, regardless of the circumstances, and demonstrate to God that your relationship with Him is essential to you in all situations.
Generosity Results in Thanksgiving
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:11
This verse connects God’s provision and our generosity directly to the thanksgiving of others. God blesses us richly not just so we can be comfortable, but so we can be generous – and our generosity, in turn, causes those who receive it to give thanks to God.
Take action: See your resources of time, talents, and money as fuel for generosity. When you’re generous, it sparks a chain reaction of thankfulness that glorifies God. Look for an opportunity to be generous today to someone in your life, such as by taking the time to listen attentively to a friend in need, and celebrate their gratitude.
Enter God’s Presence with Thankfulness
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:4
This beautiful verse presents thanksgiving as the way to enter into worship with God. When we start our prayer time by celebrating God’s goodness to us, we become more aware of God’s love, which helps us prepare to encounter God.
Take action: Use the first few minutes of your daily prayer and meditation time to list specific blessings you’re grateful for. Make thankfulness your key to connecting to God. Before you launch into your list of requests in prayer, spend five whole minutes focusing only on the blessings God has already given you, using Psalm 100:5 as your guide: “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Praying with Gratitude Leads to Peace
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
This verse highlights how thankfulness is the antidote to worry. When we pair our requests with gratitude, we demonstrate our faith in God. We let God know that because he has been faithful to us in the past, we trust that he will help us with what we need right now. We can pray about everything with a constant mindset of prayer and gratitude, and God will respond by giving us a peace so strong that it even surpasses our ability to understand it.
Take action: The next time worry starts to creep into your mind, redirect your focus to gratitude by thanking God for something he has done for you recently. Turn your anxiety into a reminder of how God is constantly pouring blessings into your life, and let that inspire you to trust that God will help you with what you currently need.
Let Christ’s Peace Rule
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15
The peace of Christ can rule our hearts if we’re thankful. This verse reminds us that if we want this incredible peace to take charge in our hearts – guiding our decisions and feelings – it must be accompanied by thankfulness. We can’t receive Christ’s peace if we’re not grateful, but if we give thanks, we can enjoy peace that’s strong enough for any situation.
Take action: When you feel restless or conflicted, check your level of gratitude. Developing thankfulness is key to letting God’s peace govern your emotions. If a conversation or internal dialogue starts to slide into complaint or criticism, immediately interrupt it and say a prayer, giving thanks to God for a specific blessing you’re genuinely thankful for.
Give Thanks for God’s Unchanging Love
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1
This verse connects our gratitude to God’s eternal character. While we’re grateful for what God gives us, the main reason to thank God is because of who he is. God is purely and constantly good.
Take action: Thank God for who he is, rather than just what he does. Focus your gratitude not just on the blessings in your life, but on God’s unchanging attributes. Try making a list of different qualities you appreciate about God’s character (such as how God is loving, just, powerful, etc.) and write a single sentence of thanks for each specific quality.
Become Rooted and Built Up in Christ
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6-7
This passage describes spiritual growth using the analogy of a tree. As we become deeply rooted in Jesus, our faith is strengthened, and the natural result is an overflow of gratitude. Thankfulness is a sign of a thriving, deep-rooted spiritual life.
Take action: See gratitude as a natural byproduct of spiritual health. When you feel a lack of thankfulness, take it as a sign to spend time strengthening your roots in Christ through reading your Bible and prayer. Become a lifelong learner. Commit to spending 15 minutes each day reading the Bible, and afterward, write down one specific truth you learned that day that makes you thankful for your relationship with Christ.
Live a Life Worthy of the Lord
“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father...” – Colossians 1:9-12
In this passage, the Bible connects many important spiritual qualities – wisdom, strength, patience, and endurance – to the ultimate goal of “joyfully giving thanks.” Gratitude is a good choice in itself, but it also helps us develop many positive qualities that draw us closer to God.
Take action: View gratitude as a source of strength. When you feel weak or worn down, activate your faith by “joyfully giving thanks” to refill your spiritual tank. Before tackling a demanding task or dealing with a difficult person, take a break to give thanks for the wisdom, strength, endurance, or patience God has given you in the past. Doing so will help you tap into God’s “glorious might” for the present moment.
Give Thanks in Community
“I always thank my God for you because of the grace given you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Corinthians 1:4
The apostle Paul often begins his letters by expressing gratitude for the community of believers, just as he does in this verse. This highlights that God intends for us to practice gratitude in community, so that we can recognize God’s grace at work in and through the lives of the people around us. Thankfulness for others strengthens our bonds and helps us trust God more together.
Take action: Make a point of expressing verbal and written gratitude to the people God has placed in your life, instead of just thinking a kind thought about a friend or fellow church member, share that thought with them. Send a text or handwritten note this week to at least one person and specifically thank God for them and the grace (like a talent, a kindness, or a word of wisdom) God has given them that has helped you.
In conclusion, choosing to live with thankfulness is a decision that aligns us with God’s will and enables us to experience God's best for every aspect of our lives. Remember, gratitude is the spiritual key that can help us shift our focus from our problems to enjoying God’s provision for us in all circumstances.
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