In the Bible, thankfulness and gratitude are consistent topics. Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s people are to give thanks and be grateful for what He has done and is doing in our lives. However, what does that look like? What does it really mean to be thankful and grateful according to the Bible?
Firstly, we know that we are called to always give thanks to God for all the things that we have. Paul says in Ephesians 5:18-21 that it’s a central part of true fellowship. He says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
Paul calls us here to always give thanks; not just when we feel like it or when things are going well, but always. However, the Bible also reveals to us the key to giving thanks and to a true heart of gratitude. We see it in verses like Psalm 95:1-3 where the Psalmist writes, “O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods”.
The Psalmist is pointing out that the key to thanksgiving is recognizing who God is: a great God and a great King above all gods. See, the reason that we are often ungrateful and don’t thank God enough in our lives is that we have a lacking understanding of who God is. If we truly understood the gravity and the magnitude of His character and His greatness, we would always give thanks.
The other key to becoming thankful or grateful is remembering what God has done for you and is doing for you each and every day. The author of Hebrews sums up both of these keys in Hebrews 12:28-29 where it says, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”
We offer gratitude and thanks once we realize who God is in our lives and what He has done for us both in His sacrifice on the cross and in our lives today. This is what it means to give thanksgiving and be grateful according to the Scriptures. If you want to know more about who God is and what He has done for you, we would like to invite you to check out our Amen app which can walk you through different Scriptures and passages that explore God’s character. Download Amen App today on the App Store and kickstart your relationship with God.