Bible Verses About Gratitude For Others
While our gratitude overall is directed to God, we can also express gratitude to others. The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. We need others for encouragement, fellowship, mentorship, godly counsel, friendship, comfort, sympathythe list goes on and on.
In these Bible verses about being thankful for family and friends, Paul thanks God for others and praises God for their growing faith. Lets do the same.
- 16. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
- 17. Philippians 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.
- 18. Colossians 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.
- 19. 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.
For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
1 Thessalonians 3:9-10
Bible Verses about Being Thankful for Family
Bible Verses about Being Thankful for Friends
In this list, I included two proverbs about gratitude to remind us of the joy that friendship brings. Its an intangible, immeasurable gift to have friends that stand by you, help you grow, and pray for you.
Wednesday Gratitude Flips Our Perception
Like chemo kills cancer , gratitude kills grumbling. Over and over, were instructed to sacrifice thanksgiving in all circumstances. This doesnt mean thanking God for the wrong or evil things done because that would be counter to His character instead, its thanking God that, even though these things exist, He is good, and He will work it out for good. As you go about your day, intentionally look for ways to thank God, resisting the urge to complain.
- Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians. 5:18
Bible Verses To Grow A Grateful Heart
Have you ever found yourself in a grumbling mood? Ive been there recently. Rollercoaster hormones, a messy house, a mile-long to-do list, and plain old exhaustion make it hard to appreciate the good things in my life sometimes.
But heres the thing: God doesnt want me to stay here. Hes brought me too far and given me too many good gifts to let an ungrateful heart rule my attitudes and actions.
Were officially in the season to celebrate gratitude, but I dont want it to be limited to a season. I want to make gratitude a habit every single day of the year. How do I do that? By grounding myself in Gods Word.
Today Im sharing five Bible verses that foster thankfulness. Whether youre feeling grumbly or grateful today, I hope these words inspire you to look to the Giver of all good gifts.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a persons strength.Proverbs 17:22
What this verse tells me: My outlook on life not only impacts my mind, it also impacts my body. By choosing gratitude, I allow God to fill me with healing and strength.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.Psalm 111:2
What this verse tells me: Gratitude is fostered when I choose to ponder and study the great things God has done. It isnt a passive action its an intentional choice.
There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving, and I will multiply my people, not diminish them I will honor them, not despise them.Jeremiah 30:19
Recommended Reading: What Is The Purpose Of Bible Study
Bible Stories About Thankfulness: Mary
This is her proclamation when visiting her cousin Elizabeth.
And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,And holy is His name.50 And His mercy is on those who fear HimFrom generation to generation.51 He has shown strength with His arm He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,And exalted the lowly.53 He has filled the hungry with good things,And the rich He has sent away empty.54 He has helped His servant Israel,In remembrance of His mercy,55 As He spoke to our fathers,To Abraham and to his seed forever.
It was not easy being Mary. She was claiming something impossible- a virgin with child. Seriously, I would not have believed her myself. Yet, she praises God with a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving.
Have you noticed that the Bible stories about thankfulness end in worshiping God for His goodness? Perhaps that is where we need to start on our gratitude journey. To pause and worship our God for His goodness.
As a mom, Im always looking for opportunities to teach gratitude to my kids! Subscribe to my encouraging weekly email and receive these cute journaling pages for free. Just click image
Bible Verses About Thanksgiving And Gratitude: Hannah
One of my favorite Bible stories about gratitude is the story of Hannah and Samuel. Hannah glorifies God with a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving and gratitude when she hands Samuel off to the high priest.
The story begins in 1 Samuel chapter 1. Elkanah has two wives. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
If you know the heartache of an empty womb, you can feel Hannahs pain. Even more than that, there was a lot more pressure on women to bear children in those days. Over and over God uses barrenness to reveal His purpose .
Elkanah and his family are offering sacrifices to the Lord in Shiloh. Hannah is overwhelmed with sadness because she has not been able to have children and is found by Eli, the high priest, weeping her broken heart before the Lord.
Eli accuses her of being drunk, but Hannah quickly explains her sorrow and her petition before the Lord. She promises that if God were to give her a child, that she would dedicate him to the Lords service.
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.
And she said, Let your maidservant find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Do you notice how Hannah believed? Her request had not yet been granted and yet she went away happy, in faith believing that God would give her a son.
And he does! She names him Samuel saying because I have asked for him from the Lord.
Don’t Miss: How To Cast Out Demons Bible Verse
What Does Gratitude Mean In The Bible
Gratitude in the Bible means “extending favor towards” or giving grace and kindness as a response.
If we go back to the Bible’s original language, the Greek word “ÏάÏιÏι” refers to the quality of showing appreciation and returning kindness. This is in contrast to how Merriam-Webster defines “gratitude,” which is more of thankfulness for a personal benefit, such as being âthankfulâ for something that happened to you.
For example, saying “thank you” doesn’t automatically mean you’re actually grateful. You may be just saying it to be polite, whereas thankfulness genuinely acknowledges the efforts of others.
Meanwhile, Biblical gratitude is an approach to doing something, sustenance that strengthens you, and the intention behind your actions. Gratitude is a positive response to experiencing God’s goodness and grace. In other words, once you realize that God is working in your life, you’ll show gratefulness in how you live.
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Affirm Gods Call To Be Thankful
1 Chronicles 23:30
They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening
Psalm 95:2-3
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.For the Lord is the great Godthe great King above all gods.
Lord, I am thanking you right now because
You May Like: What Is The Love Of God According To The Bible
What Does The Bible Say About Having A Grateful Heart
Now that we have all of these reminders to be grateful, how do we have a grateful heart? How can we find joy even in the little things?
When it comes to the heart, to change we have to shift our position. What is our heart pointed toward and on what do we place our hope and our happiness? If the answer is not God, then it will be hard to have a grateful heart because our thanksgiving will solely depend on present circumstances.
But when our hearts are turned toward God, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving simply because of who God is.
I dont know about you, but thats where I want to be.
These Bible verses about gratitude and Bible stories about gratiude show us that being thankful is a part of relating to God. Thanksgiving allows us to grow closer to him and keep our eyes on him when the storms of life get rocky. Thats how we can all cultivate a thankful heart.
Why do you think gratitude is so powerful?
Leave me a comment below!
Check out More Posts about Growing in Faith:
Powerful Bible Verses For A Leaders Thankful Heart
Are you feeling thankful today? Would you like to be overflowing with thanksgiving a few minutes from now?
Its normal for us as Christian leaders to be thankful in our theology, but to overlook expressing it in our lives.
When you think about it, youre thankful. But how often does thankfulness cross your mind and heart?
Especially when times are tough. Billy Graham gets that:
A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.
Recommended Reading: Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
Bible Stories About Gratitude
These Bible verses about gratitude paint a picture of what it means to have a thankful heart. But sometimes more impactful than having a verse is reading Bible stories about gratitude. These two show how God rewards a pure, thankful heart.
1 During his ministry on earth, Jesus healed ten people from lepresy. When they cried out to him for healing, he told them to walk to the priests. As they walked, they were cleansed. However, of the ten lepers who were healed, only one came back to thank Jesus for his healing. To this leper, Jesus proclaimed, Your faith has made you well.’ .
Wow! Look how the lepers faith is shown through his gratitude. But theres more. Check out the full story in Luke 17:11-19.
2 The second story comes from the Old Testament. In Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzer has a frightening dream and asks for someone to interpret the dream. However, the king refuses to tell the dream to his court because he believes whoever can truly interpret the dream doesnt need the dream told to them.
Daniel and his friends approach God in prayer, and God reveals the dream to Daniel. Whats Daniels response? A prayer of gratitude.
To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the kings matter.
Daniel 2:23
For the sake of length, I wont tell you how the story ends, but head to Daniel 2 to find out!
Cultivate A Grateful Heart By Spending Time In The Bible
For Gods word to take root in our hearts, we must spend intentional time reading, studying, and meditating on His word. His word is a guide aligning us with His will and purging those behaviors in us that separate us from an intimate relationship with Christ. We strengthen our faith when we spend time in His word learning about His will and His character. When we know who God is, we can have peace, even in life is hard.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in meput it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.Philippians 4: 8-9
Prayer: Lord, reveal yourself to me and fill me with your presence. I hunger for Your word and Your ways. Give me the strength to cultivate a grateful heart in my challenging seasons. You know my heart and hear me in my distress. Thank you for your word to guide me.
Also Check: How To Study The King James Bible
For Everything God Created Is Good And Nothing Is To Be Rejected If It Is Received With Thanksgiving 1 Timothy : 4
Its so easy to be a cheerful giver when the gift is received with gratitude. When my niece and nephew were young, my sister worked on teaching them to receive any gift with thanksgiving by handing them random objects and asking them to find one positive thing to say about it. She handed them a pickle, a paperclip, a hair bow, and a gum wrapper. And it worked! Every birthday and Christmas gift those kids receive is received with a more thankful heart.
Gratitude doesnt always come naturally, but with practice and intentionality, we can better appreciate all of the good gifts God has given us.
Mondaygratitude Fans Honor And Praise
More than any other sacrifice, God wants to know His children are grateful for every good and perfect gift Hes given us. Gratitude celebrates God for who He is, praises Him for all Hes created and glorifies Him for all Hes done in our lives. A grateful heart recognizes that, without God, we would have absolutely nothing. Fan into flame honor and praise through the power of gratitude by writing a list of ten things for which you are grateful.
- I will praise Gods name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs. Psalm 69:30-31
Recommended Reading: What Does The Bible Say About Mark Of The Beast
Bible Verses About Thanksgiving
In 1926, Concordia University Texas was established as a Christ-centered Lutheran university. The Word of God has an incredible impact on the human heart. As Hebrews 4:12 explains, the word of God is alive and active.
This year, as we gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s remember to celebrate the greatest gift of all salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are 17 Bible verses to help you reflect on the abundant blessings of God.
Please note that all Bible verses are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
Find Joy In The Little Things
Its impossile to talk about gratitude without first talking about joy. Many people mistake joy with happiness, but happiness is based on circumstances. Do I like my job? Do I have good finances? Are lots of friends and family nearby? Am I in a relationship?
All of these questions have to do with circumstances, and for a lot of people, they determine whether or not they are happy. Joy on the other hand, is about having peace and hope in all circumstances.
For Christians, that comes from knowing that God is in control and that our salvation is secure in Jesus. No matter our circumstances, we have hope for the future and peace in God. What does this have to do with Bible verses about gratitude and having a thankful heart? Thats simple.
Gratitude gives us joy.
Also Check: What Does Worry Mean In The Bible
What Does Scripture Tell Us About Gratitude
All throughout scripture, there are verses that tell stories of people giving thanks to God. While the Bible holds a lot of teaching and examples of gratefulness, it also points us to all the reasons we can give thanks, even in hard seasons.
Most importantly, we have Jesus and that is always something to be thankful for.
So, here are 15 Bible verses to remind you of Gods goodness and help you cultivate a grateful heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
This verse was so eye-opening to me when I read it the first time. Choosing gratefulness isnt just beneficial or a good choice, it is Gods Will for us that we give thanks in all circumstances. Even the bad ones.
Practicing gratitude isnt just a trendy activity or a worldly way to combat anxiety and depression. It is a spiritual discipline. The more we do it when things are good, the easier it will be to be grateful in hard times.
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
This verse embodies gratitude in its purest form. Whatever we do in this life, we do unto the Lord. Have you ever gone to do something you were dreading? Did complaining about it make it better? Probably not.
But I can either choose to dwell on the negative or I can choose to find something good that came of it.
James 1:17
Philippians 4:6-7
Practice A Thankful Heart
Ephesians 5:18b-20
Instead, be filled with the Spirit,speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. 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.
Colossians 2:6-7
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 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always,pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.
I am thankful, right now, Lord Jesus. Help me to remember to be thankful tomorrow when
Read Also: Does The Bible Support Divorce