Being grateful changes our perception by shifting our focus and enabling us to see beyond ourselves. It helps us to see the big picture and not just the immediate situation. But most importantly a thankful heart draws us near to the source of all that is pure and holy by transporting us to the very throne of God. Both the new and old Testament contain several passages encouraging us to be thankful. Below are a few of my favorite.
We are to express our gratitude always.
“…stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at evening;” I chronicles 23:30 (NKJ)
Do it while we live.
“For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” Psalm 6:5 (KJ)
Thank God for His salvation.
“And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.” Psalm 35:9 (NKJ)
Thank God for what he has given us and for answered prayer.
“I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You…” Daniel 2:23 (NKJ)
Thank God (as Jesus did) for revealing His truth and wisdom to us.
“…I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.” Matthew 11:25 (NKJ)
Thank God (as Jesus did) for hearing our prayers.
“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” John 11:41 (NKJ)
Thank God for the faith of others and the encouragement that it brings us.
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8 (NKJ)
Thank God for the people He has prepared to receive His word.
”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God…” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NKJ)
Thank God for our call to ministry.
”And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,” 1 Timothy 1:12 (NKJ)
Thank God for family and friends.
“I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers,” Philemon 1:4 (NKJ)
Thank God with fellow believers
“I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.” Psalm 35:18 (KJ)
And most important of all…praise and thank Him for who He is.
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11 (NKJ)
When I started praising and thanking God my life began to change dramatically. The things that used to bother me became less significant and I began to see God’s hand working in my life….sometimes in small ways and sometimes in ways that took my breath away! Psalms 143:8 (NIV) has become a part of my daily prayer, “Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift my soul.”
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