Back on 21st September it was World Gratitude Day. That got me thinking that gratitude is not just polite manners; it’s powerful medicine. It is like oxygen for the soul: we don’t thrive without it. We are, as it were, hard-wired to say "thank you" not just to people, but to someone beyond ourselves.
And here’s the awkward question for the atheist: if you don’t believe in God, who do you thank when you see a glorious sunset, hear a newborn baby’s cry, or survive a near miss on the motorway? Nature isn’t listening. Evolution isn’t either. But heaven is.
Gratitude is contagious so let’s spread it!
Gratitude is riches; ingratitude is poverty. Gratitude is contagious so let’s spread it!
Gratitude is good for us
Gratitude is a gift that blesses both the giver and the receiver. It’s a mood booster, a perspective shifter and a spiritual disinfectant.
- Anger struggles to take root in a thankful heart. Try being furious while singing, "Thank you, Lord!" It doesn’t work. Gratitude doesn’t change the situation, but it changes us in the situation. Very few disputes begin with, "I just want to say how grateful I am..."
- Pride resists gratitude because it refuses to admit dependence. But gratitude is humility in action, saying, "I need others and I need God."
- The Bible says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18 NIV). Gratitude is the parent of all virtues because it recognizes that we are not self-made.
- Envy wilts when gratitude flourishes. Gratitude says, "I am content with what I have." Adam and Eve had paradise but discontentment made them reach for the one fruit they didn’t have. Gratitude would have saved them and us a lot of trouble.
Grateful people are happier, healthier, and more hopeful.
Psychologists now confirm what scripture has always taught: grateful people are happier, healthier, and more hopeful. People today talk about mindfulness. I say, try thankfulness—it works!
Gratitude is good for others
Gratitude is love in its simplest form. It costs nothing, yet it can make someone’s day.
A word of thanks turns a tedious job into a worthwhile one. Gratitude oils the gears of marriage, family and friendship. Withholding gratitude dries up relationships. No wonder so many managers and leaders lose people not because of pay, but because of their inability to say, "Thank you."
A thankless heart divides. A grateful heart unites. Gratitude doesn’t just make you better, it makes us better.
Gratitude is good before God
Gratitude is not optional but essential.
For Christians, gratitude is not optional but essential. We serve a God who made us, loves us, redeemed us in Christ and fills us with his Holy Spirit. We are people of thanksgiving!
- "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4 NIV).
- "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV).
- "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).
- "By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6 NIV).
And just peek at Revelation—heaven resounds with thankfulness! We’d better start rehearsing now. Gratitude isn’t just for today; it’s training for eternity.
Gratitude doesn’t deny pain, it defies it.
Of course, gratitude does not mean pretending everything is fine. The world is broken, but when we give thanks to God, we celebrate the light in the midst of the darkness. Gratitude doesn’t deny pain, it defies it.
Practicing gratitude
Gratitude needs nurturing. Our culture is self-obsessed and over-busy. People are quick to demand their rights but slow to express thanks. Yet gratitude has a lot going for it. It frees us from toxic emotions, strengthens relationships, and aligns us with God’s will.
Gratitude is not a day in the diary but a lifestyle for eternity.
A heart response
Lord, thank you for the gift of life, for the people who bless us and above all for Jesus, the greatest gift of all. Forgive us for the times we complain more than we praise, grumble more than we thank. Teach us the rhythm of rejoicing, the discipline of thanksgiving and the joy of contentment. May gratitude flow from our lips, our hearts and our lives, so that those around us may glimpse your goodness through us. Amen.
When we thank God, we stop staring at what we lack and start celebrating what we already have. Gratitude is not simply an attitude—it is the attitude that changes everything.
Originally published by Philo Trust. Republished with permission.
J.John is an evangelist, minister, speaker, broadcaster and writer. He has been in ministry for four decades. He has spoken in towns, cities and universities in 69 countries, establishing Philo Trust in 1982 to organize his various evangelistic ministry offerings. J.John’s weekly podcast, The J.John Podcast, features a range of interviews with Christians from all walks of life and talks by J.John. Click here to listen. J.John’s books are available to order via jjohn.com or through other online or physical bookshops.
Philo Trust was established by J.John in 1982 to organize evangelistic events and projects, equip Christians to naturally share their faith, mentor evangelists, and produce books and resources to help people in their journey of faith.
