Gratitude

Jan 8, 2026 - 20:41 Updated: Jan 8, 2026 - 20:51

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Achsah Binoy, Canada

Gratitude is a central theme in the life of a Christian believer. More than just saying "thank you," it is a posture of the heart that acknowledges God's goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty in every season of life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This simple yet profound instruction reminds us that gratitude is not conditional upon comfort or abundance—it is a daily spiritual practice rooted in faith.

Gratitude in Everything

Gratitude – Prayer & Thanksgiving

It is easy to be thankful when the table is full, the house is warm, and loved ones are near. But Christian gratitude is not limited to moments of visible blessing. It persists even in hardship. The Bible is full of examples of people who gave thanks in difficult circumstances: Job worshipped God, despite his hard times (Job 1:21), David wrote psalms of praise while hiding in caves, and Paul and Silas sang hymns of thanksgiving while imprisoned (Acts 16:25).

This kind of gratitude is not rooted in circumstances but in trust. When we recognize that every good gift comes from above (James 1:17), we also learn to trust that God is working for good even when the gifts are not immediately visible. Gratitude becomes an act of faith—a declaration that God is still good, still in control, and still worthy of praise.

Gratitude at - The Lord’s Table

We can see that in Acts 2:46, that breaking bread was a main part of the early days' gatherings. The Eucharist, in the Greek language means ‘thanksgiving’. This word is used among Christians and in today’s day and age it is also called Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, where believers remember and celebrate the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. This is also a time to give thanks to our Lord for taking our shameful sins upon Himself, and He dying on the cross to save us from those sins. Let’s be thankful to Jesus for His Salvation, for without Him, we would not be free, we would not experience gratitude. It reminds the church of Christ’s sacrifice, keeping gratitude as the center in worship.

Gratitude Leads to Generosity and Sharing

When we truly understand how much God has given us—salvation, love, grace, daily blessings—we naturally want to share that goodness with others. “Freely you have received; freely give.” — Matthew 10:8 (NIV) In the early church, believers didn’t just say “thank you, Lord” and move on—they shared what they had with one another. We can see in 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV) says, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and
through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God".- we can see that Paul linked giving with gratitude.
If we also read - Acts 2:44-45, it mentions - “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” If we’re to be like Christ, then our gratitude must flow into acts of giving—not just money, but love, service, encouragement, and our presence.

Gratitude through Songs & Hymns of Praise.

Now, Praise is a natural response when we recognize God’s goodness, kindness, His love and much more. When we look at the Bible, we see that praise and singing were often the first response of God’s people when they experienced His goodness. From Moses and Miriam’s song after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15) to David’s Psalms overflowing with
thanksgiving, to Paul and Silas singing in prison (Acts 16:25), here we can see that music was the joyful language of the grateful heart. They just wanted to give thanks to God!

We sing because we’ve been saved. We sing because He is faithful. We sing because we know that every breath is a gift from God. Singing engages the whole being. Singing to God doesn’t just involve our lips—it involves our hearts, minds, and spirits. Music has the ability to lift us, comfort us, and bring us into a deeper awareness of God's presence. When we sing songs of gratitude, we're aligning our souls with heaven's joy. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly... singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16 and Eph 5: 19 & 20,
says - “19. speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”.

Gratitude Flows – Prayer into Praise

When we read Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”, we can see that when we submit to our cares and worries to God, He gives His peace that comforts and goes beyond our limited knowledge of understanding. For a believer, gratitude is a bridge that carries prayer into praise. When gratitude flows freely, prayer ceases to be merely a request for blessings—it becomes
an offering of thanksgiving that exalts the Giver. When “Gratitude flows—prayer into praise” it beautifully captures the journey of a believer whose heart has been transformed by the awareness of God’s unending grace. “praying, with thanksgiving”, that part is essential. We need to give thanks as we pray. When we open our lips as we are pray, we should give thanks to God. Let’s start by thanking Him for the smallest of things and this will eventually lead us to say thanks for bigger things. Gratitude is what turns a simple prayer into something powerful. When we thank God, we’re saying,
“Lord, I trust You. I know You’re good. I know You’ve got this.” Gratitude builds faith, and faith leads us straight into praise.
Think about King David in the Bible. He often started his psalms crying out to God in fear or sadness, but by the end, he was praising and rejoicing. In Psalm 13, he begins by asking, “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?” but ends by saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.” That’s the flow—prayer turns into praise when gratitude takes over. So you see, David didn’t ignore his problems; he just chose to focus on God’s faithfulness instead of his fears.
When we start to acknowledge God’s goodness we can see that Gratitude is the megaphone of faith.It declares that

a. God is good.
b. God is in control
c. God is working even when we cannot see it.

Gratitude for the Greatest Gift

James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Gratitude finds its highest expression in the recognition of God’s greatest gift: Jesus Christ. His life, death, and resurrection stand at the center of human history and at the foundation of Christian hope. To reflect on gratitude for Jesus is to reflect on the very core of the Christian faith—God’s love embodied, offered, and made eternally accessible.

First, gratitude for Jesus begins with acknowledging who He is. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, sent not merely as a messenger but as the full revelation of God’s heart. He is Emmanuel—“God with us”—bridging the infinite distance between creator and creation.

Second, we are grateful for what Jesus accomplished. Through His teachings, Jesus offered a radical vision of the Kingdom of God—one marked by mercy, justice, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. He challenged social norms, uplifted the marginalized, and invited all people into a new way of living. But beyond His teachings, we as believers find the ultimate expression of His gift in the cross. Jesus willingly embraced suffering to reconcile humanity to God. His sacrifice embodies unconditional love—a love that absorbs wrongdoing rather than returning it, that heals rather than retaliates,
His love redeems rather than rejects. Gratitude flows naturally from encountering such profound grace.

The resurrection of Jesus deepens this gratitude further. It is not simply a miracle; it is the foundation of Christian hope. By conquering death, Jesus transforms it from a feared finality into a doorway to eternal life. His resurrection means that despair never has the last word, that brokenness can be restored, and that God’s promises are trustworthy. For believers, this hope does not remain abstract. It shapes daily life, encouraging perseverance in hardship, courage in uncertainty, and joy even in seasons of grief.

How to practice gratitude daily in our lives?

1. Gratitude Journal – Write down 3 things you're thankful for every night.
2. Thank Someone – Text or call someone who’s made a difference in your life.
3. Pray with Thanks – Start your prayers by thanking God before asking Him for anything.
4. Notice the Little Things – A sunny day, a warm meal, a good laugh or even if you stop to smell the flowers by the wayside —God is in those moments.

Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending everything is perfect—it means trusting that God is good, even when life isn’t.
Let’s be people who don’t just wait for a special occasion to say thanks. Let’s live every day with grateful hearts—because when we do, we reflect the heart of Jesus.