By: Barbara Suruga
Biblical gratitude is learning to fully recognize and express appreciation for the benefits we receive from God and from others. Unshakeable gratitude is a character trait that must be formed through prayer, persistent training, and conscious decisions. It comes from hundreds of daily choices. For me, gratitude begins and ends with the Cross. But just because gratitude begins and ends with the Cross doesn’t mean it isn’t a journey. I still have a long way to go on this journey but by the grace of God I’m changing.
Gratitude isn’t exclusive to Christianity but it is essential to being a Christian, and its importance can be seen in what a lack of gratitude leads to. A lack of gratitude leads to complaining, resentment, runaway emotions, doubt, negativity, fretting, discouragement, anxiety, anger and other negative feelings and attitudes. The evil one is always trying to pull me down these false paths. Gratitude keeps me on track. ‘God is enough’ is my anthem.
1) Giving Thanks is a Command.
It is not one of the 10 Commandments, but the Bible tells us to “Give thanks to the Lord” and “be thankful”. It is a recurring theme in the book of Colossians and in many Psalms. Leviticus 1:2 says “When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord”. Offerings aren’t an ‘if’; they are a ‘when’. Leviticus 7:12 talks about the fellowship offering of thanksgiving. Although Abel’s. offering in Genesis 4 was a worshipful tribute to God, I believe it was also prompted by gratitude. Jesus, our standard, continually gives thanks.David, a man after God’s own heart, Moses, Daniel, Nehemiah, Asaph, Paul, prophets, kings, and priests continually gave thanks. Miriam led all the women of the community in song and dance with thankful praise.
2) Gratitude is Helps Us Draw Near to God.
Gratitude is also essential because it helps us draw near to God; it deepens our relationship with him. It’s part of the circle of grace that Ed talked about at Troas night. God’s gifts to us prompt our gratitude and we respond by giving back. Gratitude in all situations, good or bad, is possible when we focus on His sovereignty, faithfulness and grace. When we do, our gratitude isn’t by our strength or because we are a ‘good person’, but because he is our good, good Father who gives us strength, and we are dancing in his arms. Psalm 95:1-2 says we come before his presence with thanksgiving. The fellowship offering of thanksgiving in Leviticus 7:12 expresses gratitude for his promises, for what he has done, and for the precious relationship we have with him. Drawing near to God through gratitude also helps me draw near to others. My husband and I have had misunderstandings, but I have learned to overcome anger and hurt feelings by reminding myself of the wonderful things about him. I’m grateful for all the sacrifices he has made for us and our children.
3)A Grateful Heart is the Foundation for So Much
In Philippians 4:4-7, we see that prayer combined with thanks is essential for the fruits of the Spirit. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. In this passage, joy peace and gentleness are all tied to prayer, gratitude, and the nearness of God in every situation.
I’ve tried studying out joy so many times, but this year I finally realized I was putting the cart before the horse. I can’t have unshakeable joy without having a truly grateful heart and spirit. Gratitude is fundamental to humility. Choosing gratitude throughout the day is based on the humble realization that everything I am and everything I have comes from God and should be used for his glory. A lack of gratitude is a symptom of pride (thinking I deserve more or better). It is essential to peace. Without the peace that comes from gratitude, my heart can be anxious. A grateful heart sees God’s grace and wants to generously share his blessings, while the ungrateful person is self-centered.
The circle of grace is complete when we give back. Charis = ‘gift’ leads to charis = gratitude, which leads to charis = ‘giving back’. It is easy for me to be grateful and positive when things are going well, but when life throws a curve ball I get hurt, angry, resentful, and complain. A few weeks ago, one of my kids said something that really hurt me. I forgave him, but getting back to a place of peace with him was very hard. It took lots of prayer – prayer to be grateful for my son, for the relationship, and for this situation because this deep hurt forced me to grow in my appreciation of God’s grace to me. Prayer with thanksgiving allowed the peace of God to transcend my hurt and bring me back to a place of peace.
4) Gratitude is God’s Will for Our Life.
1Thessalonians 5:18 says “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you Christ Jesus.” Go ahead, read that again. It’s funny how we complicate things, always asking the question, ‘What is God’s will for my life?’. God simply says his will starts with me giving thanks in all circumstances (Philippians 4:6). Being content because he is in control. Conversely, without it I can become discontent and dissatisfied. I’ll compare my situation with someone else’s, doubting God’s wisdom and love. Like Naomi, I can doubt his goodness and his will (Ruth 1:20), yet look at how her story ends. God sees our big picture. How beautiful and perfect it is that God’s will for my life is tied to my appreciation for his promises and provision. His will for us is reconciled relationships, peace, joy, contentment, confidence that he is in control, and eternal salvation.
For practicals and more scriptures on Gratitude, look at the following lesson on ‘Practical Gratitude’.