In today’s society, gratitude is a lost virtue. We take everything for granted, have unrealistic expectations, cling to an entitlement mentality, and are very self-absorbed and self-focused. God’s Word gives us hundreds of reminders that thankfulness is vitally important to our mental, spiritual, emotional, and even physical well-being.
The healthiest attitude for gratitude is to thank God for everything that happens to us – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Actually, this is the will of God for us. Thanking God for the unseen aspects, as well as those we can see, utilizes faith to help us to observe what is occurring beneath the surface of our circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18).
Everything that happens in our life is for our good, and the abundant grace of God sees us through all of them, especially as we experience them with thanksgiving to God. Sharing our blessings through verbal “praise reports” gives us the opportunity to help others live with more gratitude in their heart as well (Ezra 3:11; 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Corinthians 4:15).
God’s mercy endures forever toward those who love Him (Psalm 107:1). When we receive with gratitude whatever we are given, regardless if it is a blessing or a trial, we realize that it is sanctified by His Word and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). The peace of God rules in our hearts when we are truly thankful (Colossians 3:15).
Gratitude helps us to be anxious for nothing, and we let God know our requests with prayers filled with thanksgiving for His grace, regardless of what we are experiencing. We praise Him with our whole heart, holding nothing back, and we share with others our testimony of all His marvelous works on our behalf (Philippians 4:6; Psalm 9:1).
Our Father God loves for us to call on His name, to witness to others about His wondrous deeds on our behalf, to sing praises to Him, to find joy in His name, and to seek and consult Him for His guidance for each moment of our day. We live in an attitude of praise as we give thanks to Him for His love, provision, and blessings (Psalm 105:1-3).
Prayer:
Father God, we come into Your presence with a song of thanksgiving on our lips, even if it is merely a joyful noise (Psalm 98:4, 100:1). You are our Rock of Salvation. You are our great God and King. You hold the universe in Your hands, and You make the hills and mountains strong. You made the seas and the landscape and all that is in them, which delight and amaze our soul (Psalm 95:1-6).
We worship You and bow down before You, singing Your praises for Your marvelous works. We kneel before You as our Creator and Lord, and our great King above all man-made gods (Isaiah 12:5). We are Your people, and the sheep of Your pasture. We come before Your presence with thanksgiving for Your goodness and love to all Your children (Psalm 95:1-3, 100:3).
Thought for the Day:
As we mature spiritually, we are anxious for nothing, and we let God know our requests with prayers filled with thanksgiving; we praise Him with our whole heart, holding nothing back, and we share our testimony of all His marvelous works on our behalf.
- Philippians 4:6; Psalm 9:1
