How to live longer, happier and more fulfilling lives is a hot topic that’s being discussed consistently over various platforms and cultures. There are a host of different answers that can be argued, but there is one spiritual practice that makes the list almost every time.
Gratitude.
Especially this time of year when the holiday season is in full swing, people find themselves gathered around a table at some point sharing what they are thankful for or asking a stranger as an icebreaker question. As a society, we recognize the value in giving time for gratitude. But how much more should we as believers value this practice if we know who to be grateful to? Scripture is brimming with guidance on cultivating a heart of gratitude.
Our time to give thanks is always. Our circumstances and feelings may change but He remains the same, faithful and good.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19b-20 (ESV)
We can show gratitude through prayers and utterances of thankfulness, songs sung from our hearts, and psalms proclaimed together in unity.
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High. – Psalm 7:17 (ESV)
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. – 2 Corinthians 2:14 (CSB)
All because our God is ready to care for our every need with generosity, no partiality, and the heart of a Father for his children.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. – James 1:17 (ESV)
Gratitude grounds us in the knowledge that we don’t provide for ourselves. The God we serve is looking out for us in every way imaginable, and He is ultimately in control. That frees us to continually look to our Father and expect His best in our lives, even when we would plan it out differently.
When we choose to withhold our gratitude, it’s not just a heart of entitlement revealed, but a distorted reality that is coming into play. We are made from the dust of the ground, and our Creator has graciously chosen us to be partners in ruling His creation, providing for every thing that we could need to live a life of holiness and abundance in Him. When we remember who God is, we remember that we owe everything to Him.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
Gratitude is our praise, setting our hearts right and reminding us that we are children seen, known, and loved by God.