The Foundation of Gratitude
I believe the foundation of gratitude is humility. Remember the story of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-20 who bragged about his wealth and the plentiful harvest he had gathered? He focused on his riches and planned to store up even more, but he never acknowledged God or gave thanks for his blessings. He forgot that everything he had was a gift from God. That very night, his life was taken from him.
Our greatest example of humility is our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5-6 reminds us: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.” This demonstrates the kind of humility we are called to embody.
We often complain because we believe we deserve better treatment than we’re receiving. But pause for a moment and ask yourself: if life were to give you exactly what you deserve, what would that truly look like?
Especially considering that, on your own, your righteousness is like filthy rags. The truth is, the only reason we can receive God’s blessings or experience His favor is that God Himself is our righteousness (Isaiah 54:17). 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Ways to Cultivate Gratitude
With consistent practice, gratitude can become an integral part of who you are. As you make a habit of expressing thankfulness regularly, you’ll find that it starts to flow effortlessly and naturally.
Here are some ways I’ve cultivated the habit of thankfulness, and I believe they can be beneficial to you too.
- Celebrate God’s Victories and Goodness: Like the Israelites, who held feasts to honor God’s deliverance, take time to celebrate His goodness. Recount the “Red Seas” He’s parted, the “manna” He’s provided, and the “waters from rocks” (provisions from unexpected sources), the obstacles He’s removed, and the resurrections you’ve experienced. Even in difficult times, focus on God’s faithfulness. I’m not saying we shouldn’t acknowledge our struggles or express our pain, but it’s important to balance those feelings by focusing on God’s faithfulness. Find things, no matter how small, that you can be grateful for. Even if it’s just one thing or even half of something, make a big deal out of it. What you focus on grows. If you focus on the positive, it will grow larger; the same is true for the negative.
- Don’t just feel thankful, express it to God. One habit I’ve worked hard to cultivate is thanking God for even the things that are easy to overlook. For example, many times I randomly say, “Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful curtain. I can’t imagine the inconvenience if the sun had to shine directly into the room.” While I’m driving, I think about the ease our vehicle has brought and say, “Thank you, Lord, for this car. It has made life so much easier for me.” This attitude has, by extension, helped me to be a grateful person, not just to God, but to people as well.
- Give to Those in Need: Celebrate God’s goodness in your life by sharing with others. Stinginess reflects a lack of thankfulness. I often say that stingy people are ungrateful people. (Esther 9;22, Nehemiah 8:10)
- Share your Testimonies: Declare His works to others. The woman with the issue of blood believed because she heard of Jesus’ power through the testimonies of people. Your testimony can inspire faith in others. I’m sure you’ve heard testimonies where people said it was the testimony of another that sparked faith in their hearts to address their situation.
- Appreciate People: Gratitude opens doors, while entitlement closes them. Be more appreciative and express your gratitude when people do something nice for you. Learn from Paul and be thankful for the big and small things people do for you. No one owes you anything, so don’t reach a point where you feel entitled and forget to appreciate what others do for you. It cost them something to do what they did for you.
