Bible Verses About Thankfulness To God

What does the Bible say about thankfulness?

Did you know that being thankful builds positive emotions – like happiness and optimism? Thankfulness enables us to enjoy our life experiences, while reducing stress and boosting our health.

Christian quote about thankfulness

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” Charles Spurgeon

“Many people give thanks to God when He gives. Job gave thanks when He took.”

“Gratitude produces deep, abiding joy because we know that God is working in us, even through difficulties.”

“God is glorified by a thankful heart.”

“Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually. It is a recognition that we are totally dependent upon Him; that all that we are and have comes from God.” Jerry Bridges

“That man is truly happy who can say of all his substances, be it little or be it much, “The Lord gave it to me”. – Charles Spurgeon.

“Gratitude is our ability to see the grace of GOD, morning by morning, no matter what else greets us in the course of the day.”

“God doesn’t want us to just feel gratitude, but for us to show it by giving thanks to God with our lives.” R.C. Sproul

Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it. A.W. Tozer

“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that, I still possess.” Corrie ten Boom

“We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the psalms, and that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, and zeal.” –J.I. Packer

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.” John MacArthur

“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.” Billy Graham

“Let Him therefore send and do what He will. By His grace, if we are His, we will face it, bow to it, accept it, and give thanks for it. God’s Providence is always executed in the ‘wisest manner’ possible. We are often unable to see and understand the reasons and causes for specific events in our lives, in the lives of others, or in the history of the world. But our lack of understanding does not prevent us from believing God.” Don Fortner

“An active faith can give thanks for a promise, though it be not as yet performed, knowing that God’s bonds are as good as ready money.”  Matthew Henry

“God is in control, and therefore in everything I can give thanks – not because of the situation but because of the One who directs and rules over it.” Kay Arthur

“A state of mind that sees God in everything is evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart.” Charles Finney

“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” – Harry Ironside

“Many favors which God gives us ravel out for want of hemming through our unthankfulness; for though prayer purchases blessings, giving praise keeps the quiet possession of them.” Thomas Fuller

“Even when life may be difficult, we should thank God for all He does for us—which we do not deserve.” Billy Graham

“The thankful heart sees the best part of every situation. It sees problems and weaknesses as opportunities, struggles as refining tools, and sinners as saints in progress.” – Francis Frangipane

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.” C.S. Lewis

“Gratitude produces deep, abiding joy because we know that God is working in us, even through difficulties.” –Charles Stanley

“A man who is eating or lying with his wife or preparing to go to sleep in humility, thankfulness and temperance, is, by Christian standards, in an infinitely higher state than one who is listening to Bach or reading Plato in a state of pride.” C.S. Lewis

“Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with Him; it will take our attention from ourselves and give the Spirit room in our hearts.” – Andrew Murray

“Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.” A.W. Tozer

“Instead of complaining that God had hidden himself, you will give Him thanks for having revealed so much of Himself.” Blaise Pascal

“If thankfulness does not move us to serve God, then we do not truly understand who our God is and what He has done in our behalf. Without gratitude for Christ’s sacrificial love, our duty will become nothing more than drudgery and our God nothing more than a dissatisfied boss.” Bryan Chapell

Let’s learn about thankfulness in the Bible

The Psalms tells us repeatedly to give thanks to God – for His goodness, for His enduring love, and for His righteous laws. Hebrews 12:28 tells us that gratefulness is part of acceptable and pleasing worship to God. Colossians 4:2 tells us, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

1. Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

2. 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.”

3. Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

4. Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

5. Ephesians 5:20 “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

How to be thankful to God?

One way is listing as many things as you can for which you are thankful. This includes temporal things, like food, clothing, a home, a job, safety, and so on. It also includes spiritual blessings God lavishes on us, such as forgiveness of our sins, salvation, sanctification, healing, justice, favor, and mercy. In your prayer time, make a point of expressing thanks for some of those things every day.

Paul frequently gave thanks for various believers and churches as he prayed for them – for their growing faith, their love for the saints, and their support of the ministry. Likewise, we can thank God for the people in our lives, while also remembering to express appreciation to them.

Psalm 100 tells us to express thankfulness to God through shouting joyfully, exuberant singing, entering His temple courts with praise, and serving Him with gladness. We can and should give thanks to God in our private worship and family prayers, but corporate worship in church is essential to expressing our gratitude.

6. 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.”

7. Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

8. Lamentations 3:22-23 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

9. Psalm 31:7 “I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul.”

Giving thanks with a genuine heart

True thanksgiving flows from a genuine heart of worship. It’s easy to drift into mindlessly repeating a list without our heart being involved. A thankful heart is eager to praise God. How do we cultivate a genuine heart of gratitude? Through meditating on His word, engaging in service for Him, and spontaneously thanking and praising God for His blessings, big and small, throughout the day.

For instance, if it’s raining, thank God for how the rain refreshes the air and waters the grass and flowers and the fruit and vegetables you eat. If a stranger speaks kindly to you, or someone lets you into their lane of traffic, thank God for that person! When you find that thing you were looking for, thank God for helping you! You cultivate a heart of worship through remembering to thank God throughout the day, not just in your devotional time.  

We cultivate a genuine heart of thankfulness when we thank God for prayers He has answered. We should also thank God before we see the answer. Jesus said, “All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (Mark 11:24) If you really do believe God’s already given it to you, go ahead and thank Him now!

10. Jeremiah 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

11. Matthew 15:8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

12. Acts 1:24 “And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.”

13. Romans 12:9 “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

What should be the focus of Christians on Thanksgiving?

All too often, even in Christian families, Thanksgiving Day is all about the family gathering for a feast, and then settling down in the living room to watch the game, before heading out or going online for Black Friday shopping. Gathering with extended family is wonderful, but the main focus on Thanksgiving should be giving thanks.

14. Psalm 100:1-7 A psalm of thanksgiving. “1 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”

15. John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

16. 1 Corinthians 11:24 “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Thank God for everything Bible verses

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”(I Thessalonians 5:18)

What does this mean? What does it look like?

Part of it is remembering to thank God throughout our day for everything, big and small. When you wake up, thank God for the new day and your family and the clothes you put on. As you head out the door to work or school, thank God for the opportunities to learn and be productive. When you come home, thank God for what was accomplished during the day, and for the opportunity to rest.

But what about the bad stuff? Are we supposed to give thanks even if we get cut off in traffic or someone is rude to us or if we lose our job?

At the last supper. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, then broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you.” (Luke 22:19) What was Jesus thankful for? The horrors of His crucifixion the following day? Or what was going to be accomplished through His death?

When bad stuff happens to us, we don’t thank God for the bad thing itself, but for what that experience is going to accomplish in us as we allow God to work through us. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

17. 1 Timothy 4:4 “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.”

18. Ephesians 5:4 “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

19. Psalm 150:1-6 “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”

20. Hebrews 13:15 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”

21. Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”

22. Psalm 71:15 “My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.”

23. Psalm 34:1-3 “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

Finding joy in all circumstances

We can find joy in all circumstances, even bad stuff, because negative experiences contribute to our spiritual maturity. The testing that comes our way produces endurance, which leads to spiritual completeness. “We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

The key to growing through adverse circumstances is to be thankful for what God is going to accomplish, rather than grumbling, or reacting in anger. Also, instead of looking at the difficult situation in front of us, let’s look to Christ. Let’s keep our eyes on Him. Situations always change, but as Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

24. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “Pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.“

25. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

28. James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

29. Psalm 126:5–6 “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”

30. 1 Peter 1:6-9 “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

31. John 16:24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”

32. Nehemiah 8:10 “And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

33. Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

34. Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

35. Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

36. Psalm 141:8 “But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!”

37. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Examples of thankfulness in the Bible

In Acts 5, we read that the priests had arrested the apostles and put them in jail. But God opened the prison gates and told them to go out and teach. At daybreak, there they were in the temple courts, teaching the message of life. You can imagine how dumbfounded the priests were when they got word of this! They hauled them before the council, with the intention of killing them, but after Gamaliel intervened, they flogged the apostles instead and released them. “So they went on their way…rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5:41)

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods, struck many times, then thrown into the inner prison with their feet fastened in stocks. At midnight, what were these two guys doing? “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) You know, if these two could praise God while chained in prison, bruised and bleeding from a harsh beating, we can praise and thank God through anything that gets thrown at us!

God loves a thankful heart – a heart that rises up in praise, no matter what. God responded to Paul and Silas by sending an earthquake to break their shackles and the prison doors, and then they got to lead the jailer and his entire family to Jesus!

38. Romans 16:3-5 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They worked with me for Christ. 4 They almost died for me. I am thankful for them. All the churches that were started among the people who are not Jews are thankful for them also. 5 Greet the church that worships in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my much-loved friend. He was the first Christian in the countries of Asia.”

39. Acts 5:41-42 “The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[a] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

40. Acts 16:25-26 “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!”

41. John 6:11 “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

42. 2 Chronicles 5:13 “The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.” Then the temple, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud.”

43. Ezra 3:10-11 “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”

44. Revelation 11:16-17 “And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.”

45. Romans 1:8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.”

46. Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Thank God for the blessings of life

God blesses us from conception, watching over us and weaving us in our mother’s womb. His thoughts toward us are precious. (Psalm 139) When we abide in Him, He satisfies us with long life, protection from deadly disease, and tells His angels to guard us. (Psalm 91)

We don’t need to worry about what to eat or drink or what to wear. Our Father knows we need these things. If we seek first His kingdom, these things will be ours. (Luke 12). We are too entitled. God doesn’t owe us anything. Everything good that we have, is a blessing from Him.

47. 2 Timothy 1:3 “I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.”

48. 1 Timothy 1:12 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him.”

49. James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

50. Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

51. Psalm 144:15 “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

52. 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God.”

53. 1 Timothy 2:1 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,”

54. Psalm 148:1-3 “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.”

55. Psalm 9:1 A psalm of David. “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

56. Psalm 66:16 “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me.”

57. Daniel 2:21-23 “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Thank God for His goodness

We give thanks to God for He is infinitely good. His lovingkindness is everlasting. He is righteous and longsuffering toward us. Even when we rebel, He saves us for the sake of His name, but He disciplines us to make us obedient. He provides a way of escape from our adversaries and remembers His covenants and promises.

58. 1 Chronicles 16:8-9 Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make His deeds known among the peoples. 9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders.”

59. Psalm 118:1 “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”

60. 1 Chronicles 16:34 “O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

61. Psalm 106:1-3 “Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him enough? 3 There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right. 4 Remember me, LORD, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me.”

62. Psalm 119:68 “You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.”

63. Psalm 117:2 “For great is His loving devotion to us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!”

64. Psalm 135:3 “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.”

65. Psalm 68:3-4 “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.”

66. Psalm 71:22-23 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.”

67. Psalm 50:14 “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.”

68. Psalm 95:2-3 “Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song. 3 For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.”

69. Deuteronomy 8:10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.”

Thank God for salvation

We give thanks to God for He is the Author of our salvation. His Son Jesus became flesh and blood for our sake. Through the death of Jesus, He rendered powerless the one who had the power of death – the devil.

He freed us from the slavery of sin and death. Jesus is our merciful and faithful high priest, who has made atonement for the sins of His people. (Hebrews 2)

70. Romans 7:25 “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

71. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 “As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.”

72. 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

73. Romans 5:15 “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many!”

74. Exodus 15:2 “The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”

75. 2 Corinthians 4:15 “All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”

76. 1 Peter 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

77. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

78. 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

79. Romans 6:17-18 “Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

80. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

81. Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

82. Luke 1:47 “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

83. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

What does the Bible say about ungratefulness?

Grumbling and ungratefulness are the opposite of thankfulness, and these are sins that God hates! When the sons of Korah grumbled against Moses and Aaron and God in the wilderness, they were questioning God’s goodness and faithfulness in providing for them.

They were ungrateful for the authority God had given to Moses and Aaron. For this sin, God split open the ground under them and it swallowed the sons of Korah. (Numbers 16)

Failure to glorify and give thanks to God leads to futile thinking, foolish and darkened hearts, and a downward spiral into sin and depravity. (Romans 1:21-32)

84. Romans 1:21-22 “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”

85. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

86. Philippians 2:14 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”

87. John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

88. Philippians 2:21 “For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

89. Philippians 2:14 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”

90. Numbers 14:27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.”

91. Numbers 11:1 “Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.”

Humility, contentment, and gratitude

Humility and contentment are spiritual qualities that invariably accompany thankfulness. A person with a humble heart overflows with gratitude, but a person with a proud heart has a complaining, grumbling, and ungrateful spirit.

Proud people are resentful and whiny and have a sense of entitlement. They don’t recognize the blessings of God, which is why “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:6 and James 4:6)

Gratitude isn’t a response to our circumstances, but a recognition that everything we have comes from God. Gratitude fuels contentment and peace.  Many people with enormous wealth and good health and other blessings never give thanks to God – they don’t appreciate what they have and live in discontent. Many people living in poverty or with disabilities flow in thankfulness. Despite their circumstances they choose gratefulness, contentment, optimism, and joy.

92. James 4:6 “But he gives more grace. Why he said, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

93. 2 Samuel 7:18 “Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”

94. Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”

95. 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”

96. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

97. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.”

98. 1 Timothy 6:6 “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment.”

99. James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

100. Psalm 25:9 “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

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Conclusion

When we are intentional about being thankful, we tap into great spiritual resources and earthly benefits as well. May we commit to operating in thankfulness – not just one day a year – but throughout each day, every day. “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.” (1 Chronicles 16:8)

Reflection

Q1 – In what ways have you experienced the goodness of God? Write them down as a daily reminder to yourself.

Q2 – In what ways has God blessed you?

Q3 – What are ways that you can be ungrateful at times?

Q4 – What can get in the way of you having gratitude?

Q5 – Are you being vulnerable with God about your ingratitude at times so that He can help you?

Q6 – Are you giving God time to speak to you in prayer?

Q7 – How can you keep the focus on Christ throughout the day?