Key bible verses about a thankful heart and why developing one is essential for Christians today
They say laughter is good medicine for the soul. Well, I’d say so is a thankful heart. In fact, according to an article by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, when a person expresses gratitude, this can lead to elevations in their happiness and well-being, life satisfaction, and overall health while decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression.
Lately, God has been reminding me of this fact as I maneuver through the mountains and valleys of my life. So I want to remind you as you maneuver through yours.
The past few weeks have been rough. I’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and burnt out. This has led to some fleeting resentfulness about my career choice if I’m being honest and transparent.
But, I remember the days that I prayed to be here. I dreamed of accomplishing one of the hardest things I would ever do in my life. I begged God for this.
I saw His faithfulness as he carried me through despite my doubts and fears. When others questioned me, He propelled me. He called me and showed up for and through me.
But, sometimes the grass doesn’t seem greener on the other side. We complain and get disappointed when our dreams don’t turn out how we imagined—perfectly wrapped in a bow with no worries.
But, this is not life. If we only focus on the bad, we’ll never see the beauty that lies even in the mud and thick of things. I also think that it hurts God’s feelings when He gives us the desires of our hearts and we essentially ask Him to take it back by complaining when things don’t go our way.
Imagine giving someone a gift that you had to move mountains to provide only for them to reject it. I don’t want to be ungrateful. I want God to be able to trust me with His resources and His mission. I’m sure you do too.
So how do we see beauty in all circumstances even in the toughest of times? How can we show God our gratitude and praise Him for His presence, blessings, and discipline no matter if we’re on a mountain top or valley floor?
The first way is by fostering a kingdom mindset. The second is what we will discuss in this article and that is— having a thankful heart.
A thankful heart aka a heart of gratitude is powerful. It can turn dark skies into sunny ones and it’s the ultimate cure for the thing we should avoid like the plague—bitterness.
Even Jesus used a heart of gratitude to guard Himself from the plans of the enemy and protect His mental health.
When the enemy shows us things, he’s usually painting the worst-case scenario along with bits and pieces of truth. If we continue to operate with a negative mindset, we start to get resentful and this brings about grumbling and complaining like the Israelites in the desert.
If we continue on this path, bitterness will dig its roots deeper, enclosing you into its web.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way. We know how the story ends. Jesus always wins and if we stand on His word and promises, so will we.
So in this article, we will take a look at
- Bible verses about a thankful heart
- 6 ways you can show God gratitude and thankfulness today.
13 inspiring biblical scriptures about a thankful heart
Here are some key bible verses about a heart of thankfulness that you can meditate on. These bible verses on gratitude will help you cultivate a heart of thankfulness even in the darkest of nights.
I’m talking about getting to a point where thankfulness to God is your reflex rather than complaining and opening the doors to feelings of defeat.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
1 Timothy 4:4-5
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
Psalm 95:2-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 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.
Colossians 3:15-17
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:28-29
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.
2 Corinthians 9:11
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2
How you can show God gratitude and thankfulness today
Work as unto the Lord
Every day we show up for our tasks no matter if it’s housework or the emails flooding our inbox, we are to be thankful and work as if we are working for God. Because we are.
While we may grumble and complain about the flaws at our jobs, we can instead thank God for using it as a means to provide provisions for us and our families. Someone is out there looking for one.
When we are discussing house chores with our spouses, instead of complaining about possible imbalances, we can instead wash each dish or scrub each tile with gratitude to God that we have a home to clean. Someone else doesn’t.
Whatever you are doing, do it with gratitude to the Lord.
Be a good steward
We can honor and show our gratitude to god by caring for what He has entrusted us with. No matter how small or ordinary it may seem, it’s God’s provision and if He can trust you with a little, He can trust you with a lot.
Be sure to check out my article on what it means to be a good steward of God.
Pray with Thanksgiving
One day I caught myself complaining and stating my asks without expressing one word of gratitude.
I was reminded of the Israelites and their grumbling towards God after he led them out of Egypt. I remembered reading and thinking, look at what God had done. How could they grumble against Him? How could they say it would’ve been better for them to stay in slavery where they had food rather than walk in the freedom they’d cried for?
But, I was doing the same thing. Like the Israelites, I was focused on me and my problems and not God. I had seen God move in my life numerous times providing, healing, protecting, and nurturing me in every season. He’s never left my side as I’ve always felt his presence.
So why was I letting these worldly issues get to me? If he fixed the others, surely He could fix these too. My job was to trust and obey, not worry and complain.
When I refocused my attention on God and exchanged my negative words for those of gratitude, my thoughts and thus my words became more positive. Like a domino effect, my heart also began to change.
Praying with thanksgiving helped me to see beyond the fog of today’s nuisances and look at the bigger picture. God has blessed me immensely and if I kept focusing on what appeared to be the wrongs in my life, I’d miss the blessings of my life. I didn’t want that to be my story. Do you?
God still and will always sit on His throne and as the Bible tells us, He’s working all things for our good. He deserves our praise, admiration, thanksgiving, and trust.
Share your testimony
Sharing your testimony not only inspires the listener, but it also reminds you of God’s goodness and faithfulness. This brings about a heart of gratitude and confidence that He will continue to see you through.
Remain obedient and rooted in God
God desires obedience over sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). The best way to express your gratitude is to continue to do what God asks with a joyful heart even in the most difficult of circumstances. All the while knowing that He is with and for you working things out for your good and the good of His kingdom.
Be generous
When God blesses, there’s an overflow. This overflow is meant to spill onto others so that they too can know Him. They will know him by His works within you and the word of your testimony.
This doesn’t always have to be money, it could also mean your time and talents. When God gives and we put it to good use, this honors Him all the more.
Final thoughts on Bible verses about thankfulness
A thankful heart towards God holds power in the Christian faith. It’s the antidote to bitterness and a key to unlocking the doors of peace and true happiness.
When we shift our perspective to one of thankfulness, it helps us to humble ourselves under God’s hands knowing that it’s Him who gave and us who have received. Every day we’re alive, we should thank God for everything—His presence, our health, strength, gifts, and family just to name a few.
There is no shortage of things to be thankful for. All we need to do is look around. The enemy would love nothing more than to distract us from doing this.
So I hope that this article on the importance of a thankful heart along with ways to give thanks to the Lord has inspired your faith and ignited your resolve.
May God’s peace, grace, and blessing lie heavily on you and your loved ones.
Until next time,
-Dr. Jay
If you enjoyed the blog post on bible verses about a thankful heart, take a look at some of our related articles below.
Bible verses to read when you are disappointed
Understanding how to guard your heart
Also check out our Christian gift shop where we have faith-inspired candles that will elevate your quiet time with the lord, your self-care routines, and the decor of your home.
