Most of us know thanksgiving is a good practice. But do we know just how good? The Bible shows the great power of gratitude.
While practicing daily thankfulness may seem like another chore, I hope to convince you the power of gratitude far outweighs the few minutes it takes to practice it. There are so many reasons to intentionally cultivate gratitude!
Let’s unpack the power of gratitude with these 12 benefits of giving God thanks. (And go even deeper with this free 30-day Gratitude Bible Reading Plan.)
12 Benefits of Giving Thanks
1.Gratitude glorifies God.
This alone would be reason to give thanks to God. Our gratitude glorifies God as we exalt not the gifts, but the Giver. Gratitude helps us realize all we have comes not because of us, but from God.
And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. 2 Corinthians 4:15
2. Gratitude helps us see God.
Gratitude opens our spiritual eyes. There’s a beautiful cycle in giving God thanks: the more we thank Him, the more we see Him working in us and around us. Gratitude helps us sense God’s presence, His personal care and His perfect timing.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. James 1:16-17
3. Gratitude puts us squarely in God’s will.
We often make God’s will out to be some big, mystical plan when sometimes, it’s simply obedience. And part of His will for us is to be thankful, not just on the sunny days but on the hard ones as well.
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
4. Gratitude brings peace.
Count your blessings, not sheep we’re told to get rid of the worry keeping us up at night. Gratitude helps us see that God’s hand is all over our circumstances. And God tells us when we give him our thanks, He gives us supernatural peace.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
5. Gratitude draws us to God.
Gratitude for the magnitude of God’s undeserved kindness draws us to Him. We see that when Jesus healed 10 lepers. As Jesus walked by, all 10 cried out for healing. “Go, show yourselves to the priests,” Jesus commanded and as they went, they were healed! Fingers were restored and ulcers disappeared as full sensation returned to their faces and limbs. Certainly they were all happy, but only one was thankful. Only one came back to Jesus, fell as his feet and thanked him.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:17-19
6. Gratitude brings contentment.
It’s said that gratitude makes what we have enough. If we aren’t grateful for what God has given us, getting more won’t satisfy us either. Being thankful is the key to contentment.
. . . godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 1 Timothy 6:6-8
7. Gratitude deepens faith.
Keeping a record of God’s past faithfulness is a faith boost when we face new difficulty. My gratitude journals are testimonies that on my hardest days and in the worst circumstances, God’s record of faithfulness is 100%. That’s why God commanded Israel to remember His great deeds.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1
8. Gratitude leads to joy.
The overflow of gratitude is joy. Realizing God’s abundant goodness, even in the hard, is a gateway for joy. Psalms 126 shows this so clearly as the Hebrew exiles sang their thanks to God for bringing them back to Israel. It’s a psalm I prayed in advance for years.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:1-3
9. Gratitude defies Satan’s lies.
Satan is so wily! He whispers that God isn’t good; that He’s withholding good from us. But his scheme’s as old as the garden of Eden, where he questioned Eve: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” When Eve responded only the tree of good and evil was off-limits, Satan suggested God was keeping good from them. “You will not certainly die. . . For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
In a garden that was perfect, that produced abundantly without work or weeding, where every single plant but ONE had been given to Adam and Eve, Satan focused on the lack. True gratitude for God and the abundance He gives protects us from caving to the enemy’s lies.
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11
10. Gratitude guards against envy.
Envy makes us want what someone else has. I mean, we deserve it! Gratitude makes us realize God has given us far more than we deserve. Because there’s enough for everyone, we can cheer rather than compare. A heart wholly grateful has no room left for envy.
I will give You thanks with all my heart; Psalm 138:1
11. Gratitude helps us live in the present.
“Wherever you are, be all there!” Jim Elliot famously said. But that’s difficult to do in the worry and rush of life. Gratitude helps. Gratitude opens our eyes to the simple beauty of ordinary days. It lets us see this day and this moment as gifts and to take in the abundance right now.
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Ecclesiastes 7:10
12. Gratitude is a testimony.
When we thank God openly and acknowledge what He’s done for us, we proclaim a personal, caring God to the world around us. We show that contentment and peace come not from what we have but Who we know.
Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Psalm 105:1
Developing a grateful heart brings incredible blessing. My only regret in keeping a daily gratitude list? Not starting it sooner.
Want to access the power of gratitude? Go deeper with this free 30-day Gratitude Bible Reading Plan.
WOW!!! Reading this tonight was wonderful but printing it out to reflect and meditate on each scripture
(spending more personal time on each one) brings me much Confidence, Confirmation & Joy in Knowing God continues His work in me through the good times and what sometimes seems to be the impossible times. Ohh how much He loves us! An attitude of GRATITUDE is worthy of our prayers for one another. Oh what blessings it brings!!!
So glad, Deborah! I loved studying it!
This is what all human beings deserved to read through……
I will praise Him ,give thanks to Him ,honor Him ..I know my God will never felt me so Help me God of Almighty 🙏
I am to subscribe to your website, this study came at the right time for me, to tell you how much I love you this I am awake at about 12:05 I couldn’t sleep because of worries but reading this email has changed my mind . Thank you so much man.
The gratitude list .help me remember all the good things have happen and be thankful to god and don’t think about the negativity of things
May I subscribe to your website?
Yes, you can subscribe at this link. Email signup.
I hope it’s ok to share this lesson in our jail ministry. I will definitely give credit and share your web site. Thank you for all you’ve done to pull this together.
Yes, please feel free to share it. Thank you for your ministry.
Lisa
I enjoyed reading and studying this its wonderful,I will share this in fellowship tomorrow
Thanks for the words of advice.
Thanks so much for this powerful message
Thank you for bringing a word in season. Looking forward to receiving your plan
I pray the gratitude Bible reading plan blesses you, Linda!
Good cultivation. This idea of showing gratitude. That’s the calmness of God, when in fury to foes…
Gratitude should be our breath
Lisa,
I “stumbled” aross your blog after reading an article you had on crosswalk.com, and I am very impressed with your writings and wisdom which God has supplied through your trials. I intend to share this with my wife in as much as we have experienced a great loss 12 years ago in our lives with an estranged daughter from a very controlled marriage. (Grief, as you know, comes in many forms) Thank you for taking the time and energy to minister in this way, and may our great God continue blessing your words and ministry!
I’m so sorry for your loss. Yes, grief comes in many forms and though the wounds are deep, God’s love is always deeper.
Good day
Thank you very much for encouraging words of wisdom. Perfect reminder of who we are on Christ; we are his beloved. Gratitude gratitude; all the way; brings us closer toour Creator.Thank you very much…. keep up the good job amd stay blessed.
Hi Lisa thank you so much , I enjoyed reading this piece. Please would you allow me to publish it in my church weekly bulletin so many more people can read?
Thanks
Hi Charles! I’ll email you.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for those points of yours concerning the benefits of thanksgiving to God. Is a great one. Almighty God will continually sustain you to do more and we shall all inherit his kingdom in Jesus name.
Cheers
Good morning beloved. Yesterday I experienced the power of God by showing me what I have versus to what others don’t have. He reminded me that all I so is ask ask and ask, take take and take and forget to properly give him thanks for all provision. After all, His name is Jehovah Jaireh, the Lord who provides and this experience has led me to your website as I was searching for the power of gratitude. Thank you so much for documenting it so well, so clear and so easy to follow. Remain blessed until the world call you BLESSED
I fill happy when reading I’m well please
Thank you for this.
It came at the right time.
Thanks Lisa
Thank you my beloved Lisa for this soul refreshing teaching. It will uphold the proud, and will stir him or her to do the right thing
I really love reading this is so inspirational to me.
Satisfactory
I cannot thank God and your ministry enough for this timely message. I have been blessed in no small measure. God bless you richly as you continue to speak His Mind to generations in Jesus name.
Am indeed very thankful for this article, quite a great lesson I’ve learnt on being grateful to God, God bless you so much and may He give you more Grace and Revelation to continue enlightening the body of Christ with the living word.
This is just amazing. Thank you Lisa!!
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah what a wonderful sermon, I will let my congrigation hear it too, thanks alot
I read each one including the scriptures and, thoroughly enjoyed doing so.. This helps me with my walk with God. Thank you very much, may God continue to bless you.
Please correct this typo, please change 1 Corinthians 4:15 to 2 Corinthians 4:15 at the end of Gratitude Glorifies God.
I appreciate that catch, Laura, and made that change!
I want to thank you for the power of gratitude 12-step list it really inspired me is very inspirational and it helped me with some of the problems that I’m going through thank you
Thank you for allowing God to use you in bringing this message am blessed. Giving thanks to God and knowing He is in our lives is all that matters. Thank you ones again
This is wonderful. Lord I’m grateful to know more of the benefits of being thankful. Thanks you Lord for each day good or ‘bad’. God bless you for this teaching. Am I blessed!
Thanks for this.
May I share with my Brethren in Church on Sunday?
Yes! Gratitude is life-changing.
I am so bless by studying This wonderful writing may the Lord bless and increase your ministry.
Am grateful for the opportunity to read it and I will do it again.thanks and May the Almighty bless you.
Very enlightening and encouraging regarding us being thankful!
I’m blessed
I’m blessed with the message and I felt the obligation to share it to others so they too, will be blessed. Thank you so much!
MY DEAR LISA.WORDS ALONE CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH,INFACT AM SHOT OF THEM,only GOD in heaven who sits on the throne of grace would reword you for this life changing ministration.my i call for grace upon you and your ministry to go keep going deeper and as far as spreading the light throughout the entire univers.thankyou lisa,am not only blessed but also challenged as the eyes of my heart got open to see who i was and how releaved i am.thankyou,i appretiate GOD bless you LISA.
What an inspiration
Wow tjis is siriually uplifting. I googled words about how to be grateful to God and this came up. Thank you so much Lisa. I have even highlited the verses on my bible and wrote gratitude how amazing is this!!!!
Im going to bed now my two little persons have long been sleeping, so let me catch up whilst l can. So grateful for the find and the read l found.
Going through your sermon was mind blowing and very inspiring .I thank God for your life because a lot ungrateful heart has been replaced with heart of gratitude. I was really blessed. Funny enough my first daughter name is also Lisa. I want us to become family friend so that one day my daughter can talk to you.
God bless you richly and enlarge your ministry in Jesus mighty Name
Great revelation, i will share with the church of GOD.feel blessed.
I am so bless with this sermon as it’s open my eyes to what I stand to gain if I appreciates God in all things.
This is wonderful, I was reading and everything is clear to me now. I think most of us are not giving God gratitude enough. We complain and grumble over everything because it’s not working out for us in our ways. I pray that this piece will give people the assurance God gives us when we thank him. I’m blessed with this writing, God bless you Lisa, your family and your ministry .
Thank You Ms. Appelo. Finding, reading and studying your message is a wonderful gift which I will indeed be sharing. Thank You and God bless You!
Praise to be God. I have inspired alot..may God bless you
God has blessed you Lissa. The word of God you have given me today has substance. It means so much to me as I am strengthen to work with it. Continue in the good work of revelation until Christ comes or calls.
Powerful word..God bless you
Just read the 12 msg on gratitude, it had really help me this night of 10/4/2021. I appreciate.cha
I have read the 12 benefits of giving God Thanx(gratitude) and feel so grateful for these.I love all of them.and am going to share them in my fellowship since it’s about giving thanx to God for what He has done for us.God bless you so much
Thanks for article, it really a good thing to give thanks to the Lord
Love this. Shared it with my prayer group. They loved it. Thanks and may God bless you
Good work in remaining us why we need to give thanks to God.
Praise and Thanks God
Blessed Day Ma’am Lisa. I’m really blessed by reading this. I will share this to our devotion tomorrow. Thanks and Godbless 😇
Gratitude do a fabulous job of connecting with your friends and family. They carry the innermost sentiments of your heart and communicate them in the most beautiful manner that touches their soul. loved your article
Amazing points on gratitude.its a week of gratitude/ thanks giving in our church June 2021 and I find 12 good points from you on gratitude
Good information right here, Lisa. Permission to share it with others, please
Wonderful teaching. God bless you
This is highly inspiring and soul lifting. God bless you for taking me through this Kingdom character.
Thank you Sister Lisa for saying Yes to God calling in your and living for that purpose inspire of all odds.
God bless you. Am really blessed, more grace in Jesus name Amen.
i am so edified reading this. This piece is so powerful and unique.
Thank you so much for sharing this, i have always been so casual in all i do especially in regards to my relationship with God, I believe this beautiful beginning is going to be an opening to many many more beautiful experiences in my life. May God bless you
Glory be to the most high God
I am so so blessed with these benefits of gratitude and I pray my God reachly bless and enlarge your coast in Jesus name. I will like to have more of your writings
Wonderful!!! Thanks you,😊…..Glory to God
This is awesome. God bless you.
J am really blessed. Thanks so much. God bless you.
This message was timely, it settled the issues of anxiety, worries, and depression. If God is our focus life journey will be peaceful.
Thanks for this message on thanksgiving you have shared with us l am blessed with it God bless you real good in Jesusname
I am so much blessed, words are not enough to express my heartfelt gratitude of this timely message, may i ask permission to share this to our division virtual convocation.
Great revelation through the Holy spirit.
It gives me joy to read your right up, it shall be well with you in all that your hands find to do. It changed my life and help me see the need gratitude and thankful to God for what He has done in our lives.
Thank you very much for this series,it was helpful.
The power of Gratitude is my best article and I love it too much, You listed in easy way to remember.
God bless you and use all your effort’s for His Glory.
Thank you very much l needed this. May God bless you, lm so much blessed
This is great and inspiring.
More grace of God in Jesus name
Hi Lisa,
Allow me to share this article with my church. Thanks
Thank you for this wonderful message. It good to give thanks to God for everything He has done for us. If man were to be in position to give us the things of life, he would be partial and deny us what should have been free.
Pastor Adewale Sunday
Thank you Lisa for the information I received from you am so blessed. I will testify the goodness of God
This is so powerful, may the Lord God Almighty continue giving you more and more wisdom reveal alot to you.
Thank you LISA for such a meaningful thoughts on being Gratitude. I am blessed.
YES, it is true that developing a grateful heart brings incredible blessings.
John Wesley, NSM
Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Please send me teachings from this group.
I will really appreciate it.
Thanks.
Wow this is powerful. Thank you so much and God bless you.
This has answered my prayers. I will teach it to my church members. Very helpful and beneficial
Pastor Ben
Great 👌 inspiration, thanks a lot have study the power of thanks giving. Nice topics to teach as a bible study lessons love you may God rewards u greatly more blessings , more grace , more wisdom, more knowledge and more revelations from the Holy spirit be blessed am Agandi Dorothy from Kenya l love studying.