Gratitude is more than good manners; it is the heartbeat of Christian spirituality. When Paul writes, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18), he points us to an attitude that shapes how we see God, ourselves, and the world. Gratitude reminds us that life is a gift, not a possession. To say “thank You” is to confess that we depend on God for every breath, every meal, every sunrise.
In worship, gratitude opens our hearts. The Psalms are filled with thanksgiving, urging us to enter God’s presence with songs of joy. When we begin prayer with thanksgiving, we are not only asking God for more, but also recognising what He has already given. Gratitude reorients us from scarcity to abundance, from complaint to praise.
Gratitude becomes most powerful in times of hardship. To give thanks in suffering is not denial but faith. Job’s cry—“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”—shows that even loss can be met with trust. Corrie Ten Boom, a survivor of Nazi camps, once thanked God for lice in her barracks, because it kept guards away and allowed secret worship. Gratitude in suffering is a quiet protest: evil does not win, because God’s grace is still present.
Gratitude is also a public witness. In a culture restless for more, a grateful Christian shows that joy does not come from possessions but from the Giver. Gratitude frees us from comparison and empowers generosity.
At the Lord’s Table, we gather for Eucharist—literally “thanksgiving.” There, we remember that the cross is God’s greatest gift, and our lives become a response of thanks.
Practising gratitude daily—naming blessings, thanking others, noticing God’s care—shapes us into people of joy and hope. Gratitude is not decoration for spirituality; it is its very foundation.
