“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind …” Psalm 107:8 (NIV)
The blinking cursor mocked me as I tried to compose yet another email that didn’t start with an overly cheery “thank you!”
Sometimes I feel like I tend to overuse those two words. Whether someone replied promptly to an email, held the door, or let me merge into traffic, it’s not hard to find something to say thanks for. But I want my gratitude to be meaningful, not just habitual.
One day, as I painfully self-edited another email, trying to find a unique way to express my appreciation, the Holy Spirit poked my heart with crisp conviction.
If you’re so apt to thank others, why is it such a struggle to say those same words to the Lord?
Ouch.
I’m a pro at asking God for things and low-key complaining about my circumstances. But I have to be intentional about incorporating gratitude into my prayers. Even then, it often feels stiff and obligatory.
If you’ve been there, too, you’re not alone.
Recently, I read a quote that changed my perspective: “Thanksgiving is our response to the love, blessing, and compassion that flows from God onto us.”
We see that definition of thanksgiving in Psalm 107:8: “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind …”
This psalm describes four groups of people who found themselves in distressing situations — lost in the desert, locked in prison, suffering physical affliction, and on stormy seas. God rescued each group, bringing them to safety, freedom, and healing. In response, our key verse repeats four times throughout the psalm, calling the people to thank God for His mercy.
This makes me ponder: What amazing things has God done in my life? How can I respond?
Psalm 107:1 further instructs: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (NIV). Thanksgiving requires remembrance. As humans, we’re terribly forgetful, but God has been good forever. That’s why it’s so important for us to notice answered prayers and miracles — we can even write them down like the psalmist. Then we can reread those records, remembering God’s faithfulness and love. This is one way to cultivate a heart of gratitude.
Thanksgiving flows freely when we realize all God has given us, including blessings like:
Salvation.
Open communication with God.
New mercies each morning.
And so many other gifts that meet our needs or provide enjoyment!
If thanksgiving feels more like an obligation than a delight, remember that God doesn’t require our thanksgiving as a formality. His gifts don’t have strings attached. But He loves to hear our joy overflow into gratitude when we dwell on His wonderful gifts and our wonderful Giver.
He deserves every bit of our thanks. May we cultivate hearts that daily overflow with gratitude.
Lord, thank You for everything You’ve done for me. Please cultivate gratitude in me, reminding me of all the reasons to be thankful to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Psalm 100:4-5, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (NIV).
What if you committed to keeping a handwritten or typed record of the requests you bring to God in prayer, even just for a week or a month? Then you can revisit that list often to see how He answers your prayers, and when He does, give Him thanks!
What are five things you can thank God for today? Share your gratitude list in the comments!
© 2025 by Shelby Dixon. All rights reserved.
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