The Attitude of Gratitude
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
Did you know that gratitude is good for you? Research has consistently shown that gratitude can increase your mental and physical well-being, strengthen your relationships, and help you become more resilient, adaptable, and empathetic. Grateful people report higher levels of overall satisfaction, a better ability to collaborate with others, and they end up being more generous, cooperative, and supportive in their relationships.
There is something about choosing to be thankful in all situations that seems to rewire our brains, jumpstart our bodies, and invigorate our souls in all kinds of positive ways. Maybe that’s why God commands us to be grateful — he knows how good it is for us.
As you read the Bible (Old Testament and New), you’ll notice how often God’s people are called to praise and thank God, both for who he is and what he’s done. The book of Psalms, for example, was originally called Tehillim in Hebrew, a word that means “praises.” Psalm 107 captures the spirit of gratitude well. After beginning with “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever,” it goes on to repeat another call to gratitude four more times: “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.”
The Bible calls us to be thankful to God in at least two ways: First for who he is, and second for what he’s done. The opening call to gratitude in Psalm 107 tells us to be thankful because God is good, and his love endures forever. These are descriptions of who God is. As the Psalm continues, it also teaches us to be thankful for his wonderful deeds — all the things he has done to bless us, protect us, guide us, and lead us to salvation.
In other words, we’re not just supposed to be thankful for the gifts — we’re supposed to be thankful for the giver. I think that’s the key to being thankful in all situations, as Paul mentions in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Yes, every gift we have comes from God, who loves to give us good gifts (James 1:17; Matthew 7:11). We can and should thank God for all of those blessings. But we should also stop to give thanks and praise to God even when life is hard and his blessings seem far away. The reason we can do that is because we know God is still good and his love endures forever, even in the storms and valleys of our lives.
Today, let me encourage you to do something to intentionally show gratitude this week. Maybe your gratitude will be directed to God for the gifts he’s given. Maybe it will be directed to another person for their kindness, love, and support. Or maybe it will be an extended prayer of praise centered on who God is. However you choose to do it, know that your act of gratitude is a way of being faithful to what the Bible calls us to — and it’s good for your soul.
Blessings,
Bryan Fojtasek
