“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17).

Most of us make a point of showing gratitude to those who help us, in all different kinds of situations. We also take time to express thankfulness to friends and family, especially during the holiday season. It not only warms our hearts, but it builds others up and creates a positive connection.

As Christians, we know that God is the source of those “good and perfect” things in our lives. So expressing gratitude to Him should be a natural habit for us. In His goodness, not only does the Lord accept our praises, He actually uses them for our growth. Through feeling and showing our thankfulness, our hearts and minds come into closer alignment with God and His Will. And as a result, we experience more contentment and joy each day.

Giving God our thanks is also a powerful way to spread the Good News. People all around us need to hear about the amazing God we have and how He blesses us, because it is a great encouragement for their hearts. Our delight is contagious and is a piece of growing God’s Kingdom.

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

The Bible Has a Lot to Say about Expressing Gratitude
In many passages throughout the Old and New Testaments, people openly show gratefulness to God. Whether it’s called praise, thanksgiving, or more passionately lauding and exalting, it comes from hearts that are submitted and devoted to the Lord.

David openly declared His personal choice to thank God for His goodness in many of his Psalms, wanting everyone to hear and to join in.

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

Some of the prophets and those given special work by God were glad for the unique blessings they received from Him along the way. They wrote down their praise as part of their accounts, so others could find strength.

“I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power…” (Daniel 2:23).

“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” (Ezra 3:11).

The letters of the Apostle Paul urge Christians to reflect their gratitude to God in their speech and actions. He understood how others in our midst can be influenced for God by hearing our thanksgiving.

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15).

10 Ways Expressing Gratitude to God Helps Us and Those We Connect With
As with many “holy habits,” thanking God blesses both Him and us. Choosing to be grateful acknowledges the One who provides for us. It changes our perspective, allowing us to see more of His work in and around us for good. It increases our delight and leads us to be people of worship well and want to spread the Good News.

I’ve experienced this wonderful cycle in my own life. And here is how I feel changed in positive ways by practicing gratitude.

1. Being Grateful Lifts my Spirits

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).

Our thoughts really do make a difference in how we feel. Imagine how starting and ending every day with what we’re thankful for would affect our mood.

2. Being Grateful Turns My Focus to God

“Set your minds on things above…” (Colossians 3:2).

It’s easy to get preoccupied by our own lack and limitations. Think of how different we’d see our lives by shifting our attention to the goodness and greatness of God.

3. Being Grateful Keeps Me Aware of Others

“Rejoice with those who rejoice…” (Romans 12:15).

Taking care of and praying for ourselves is vitally important. But wouldn’t hearing the praises of others expand our worldview and our vision of the Lord?

4. Being Grateful Encourages Me

“…if God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)?

Daily life can be challenging, even fearful, at times. Let’s find hope by looking back to see what God has already done in and around us.

5. Being Grateful Grows My Trust in God

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him and he helps me” (Psalm 28:7).

Sometimes we can put our eyes on circumstances instead of our invisible God. Suppose we were daring enough to give thanks for His promises instead of worrying?

6. Being Grateful Teaches Me about God’s Ways

“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:17).

We can get anxious or even frustrated when God seems mysterious. But being grateful for the parts of The Lord’s character we see – His love, power and plans for our good – helps build our faith.

7. Being Grateful Helps Me Stay Humble

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

Gaining something or accomplishing a goal certainly makes us feel good. And can we rejoice that God has granted us these good things so that pride stays out of the picture?

8. Being Grateful Leads Me to More Contentment

“But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

Being satisfied with what we have doesn’t mean we’ll never desire more. But first, consider all you have been given by God’s grace – even the smallest of blessings – and see how rich you actually are right now.

9. Being Grateful Gives Me Peace

“But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother…” (Psalm 131:2).

Some days, stress gets hold of us and takes away our sense of calm. One way back to restfulness is to realize that God is near, and to recall with gladness the ways we’ve been taken care of by our Heavenly Father.

10. Being Grateful Deepens My Worship Life

“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things…” (Isaiah 25:1).

Worshipping God gives Him glory and deepens our connection to Him. How much more would starting our worship time with thanksgiving soften our hearts to Him?

Practice Gratitude Daily
Another wonderful aspect of gratitude to God is that it often leads us to feel more thankful for the people He’s put into our lives as well. And expressing gratefulness adds a richness to the relationships in our daily lives.

A daily gratitude practice keeps our spirits healthy and leads us to seek the good of others. Here are some simple ideas for that:

Ask God to show you what He is doing (in your neighborhood, city or beyond)
Pray that He will grow your desire to express gratitude to Him for even the smallest of gifts (for life, for friends, for a morning cup of coffee, etc.)
Speak your gratitude out loud, directly to Him in quiet time
Write your gratitude down so you can look back on it later and be encouraged
Share something God has done for you with others
Invite them to acknowledge that God has blessed them
Look for moments to give thanks to those whom God has put into your life
When our eyes stay open to see all the sweet gifts God gives, gratitude to Him will pour out of our hearts. Whether it’s for answered prayers, new dreams, or people we care about, thanking Him affirms who He is and how blessed we are every day. And as others around us hear our praises and see our joy, they will be drawn to our Heavenly Father as well.