The Difference Between Grateful Living and Godly Gratitude
By Jenni Schubring, Director of Women’s Ministries
Gratitude is so good for us – spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Even the secular world recognizes how healthy gratitude is. During COVID shutdowns, I took an online course through Yale: “The Science of Happiness.” Gratitude was one of the key ingredients to happiness.
We become less resentful, less entitled, more content. We focus on what we have and care less about what we don’t have.
And yet, gratitude isn’t just about noticing blessings—it’s about knowing the God who blesses us. It shifts the story from “look what I have” to “look who He is.”
The fact that we can direct our gratitude and thanksgiving to our Father, our Creator, our Redeemer who gives us all things – well, that brings purpose to our gratitude.
Here are a few Bible passages about giving thanks:
Old Testament
- 1 Chronicles 16:8-9 — “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”
- Psalm 7:17 — “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.”
- Psalm 9:1 — “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”
- Psalm 69:30 — “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
- Psalm 100:4 — “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
- Psalm 107:1 — “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
New Testament
- 1 Corinthians 15:57 — “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:11-12 — “Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
- Ephesians 5:20 — “Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Philippians 4:6 — “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
- Colossians 2:6-7 — “Overflowing with thankfulness.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- Hebrews 12:28 — “Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
- Revelation 7:12 — The angels cry, “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.”
Do you have others to add to this list? How are you going to shift your focus to true, Godly gratitude, this season?