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Growing in Gratitude – A Topical Bible Study on Thankfulness

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Thank the Lord, for He Is Good

Psalm 100:4 — “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”

The psalmist himself is giving thanks for God’s goodness. At the same time, he is calling others to join him. In this psalm, he remembers history and lists out many specific things God has done for his people for which he and the nation should be grateful for. Giving thanks is something that believers need to be intentional about. From a young age, my parents taught me and my siblings to say “please” and “thank you.” That is polite. They couldn’t tolerate ungrateful behavior. Sometimes we would see children receive many gifts for a birthday or Christmas, but never stop to say, “thank you.” Instead they complained or rolled their eyes when they received gifts they didn’t like or weren’t exciting enough. My parents did not want us to be like that. We were trained to stop after every gift and say, “thank you” to the person who gave it to us.

Application — We should practice the same habit toward God. Having a spirit of gratitude means we have to take initiative and be active. It doesn’t always come naturally.

By nature, people have short term memories when it comes to blessings. It is easy to overlook and forget the many things God has done. Remembering God’s goodness is not just a good idea or a mere suggestion. It is a command. And it requires diligence.

One thing my family does at Thanksgiving is to write down key blessings from the previous year we want to thank God for. After sharing them with each other we save them in a jar. The next year we bring out all the previous years’ reminders, first remembering and then thanking God for them again.

Application — We should be sure to remember God’s blessings. Firstly, we should be observant and thank God for them as soon as they happen. Secondly, we should keep notes by making a memorial or a reminder of some type that we can come back to from time to time to refresh our memories. You can combine this with other traditions such as Christmas (make a thanksgiving tree) or Thanksgiving. Or you can make a scrap book with pictures and notes of God’s blessings.

Believers should speak up! We should be actively seeking opportunities to tell other believers about God’s work in our lives in order to encourage them and build them up in the faith. And we should also talk about God’s blessings often with unbelievers to find bridges for sharing the good news.

In the spring of 2026, my children were in a Christian basketball league. They had eleven games across spring. Spring is Guangzhou’s rainy season and the courts were outdoors. Every week, my family prayed for good weather and to be able to play the games. The forecast often pointed to rain and it rained often. But somehow it only rained 2 of the 11 weeks, and those were short showers. In the end, the kids were able to complete all of their games without any rescheduling.

Do we recognize that this is from God? Do we thank Him and honor Him for that or just put it down to coincidence?

— From our Bible study on Psalm 107

Do Not Forget the Lord When You Are Successful

Deuteronomy 8:10 — “And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.”

Verse 10 is a reminder that when they receive all these good things they should not forget to thank God. That is important because it is easy to forget the Lord when things are going well.

It is common courtesy to thank those who do something nice for you. My parents taught me from a young age to say, “Thank you” when people gave me a gift. At birthday parties, we were supposed to stop after opening each gift and say, “Thank you.”

It is common for people to pray for God’s help when they are down and forget Him when they are up. Let us not do that.

Application — Develop a habit of saying, “Thank you” to God immediately when a good thing happens in your life. Let each day be filled with moments of gratitude. When we do it right away after receiving these blessings, it will help us not forget. It will also help us keep Christ in the center of our thoughts throughout the busyness of everyday life.

Deuteronomy 8:12-14 — “Lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God.”

When things are going well it is easy to forget God. Rich people are more likely to be prideful. They are likely to credit themselves for their success. Poor people, on the other hand, are generally more open to the gospel. They have nothing and know that they have nothing.

Reflect — What advice would you give a rich person who thinks that he is a “self-made man?”

Israel did forget about God after things started going well. The very next generation after Joshua turned away from God.

Application — How can you keep focus on and gratitude toward God even when things are going well?

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 — “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

We need to stand on the alert against pride, which can come in so craftily. We should regularly pray to the Lord for humility. When we are successful, we should also evaluate how God helped us to achieve that success. Give Him the glory. That starts in the secret place of our own heart. If we truly give God glory there, the same attitude will show in our communication of these achievements to others. We will be testifying of God’s goodness rather than building ourselves up.

Application — The key principle from Deuteronomy 8 is to be humble! In your closing prayer, thank God for His blessings and ask Him to help you be humble whether you have plenty or little.

— From our Bible study on Deuteronomy 8

The Sin of Ingratitude

Psalms 107:17-18 – Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

Parents with children likely know something about how God viewed this ingratitude. When Mom spends an afternoon cooking a nice meal and the kids see it and start complaining, “We don’t like this. We want pizza.” watch out!

God was not happy with their ungrateful spirit either. The author says that they almost died because of it. This did take place both in Numbers 11 and 24. In both cases, God was merciful and spared most of them.

Application — God is serious about gratitude. The people barely avoided a death sentence because of their bad attitudes. Is there something in your life you have been having a bad attitude about? Is there something which has caused you to complain? Confess it to God before you face discipline!

Not everyone reacts to kindness with thanksgiving. Jesus healed ten lepers and only one said, “thanks.” That is indicative of the sin of ingratitude that plagues so many. We have probably all seen examples of ungrateful people. Sometimes it seems that the more you do for them the more spoiled they get. Many take kindness for granted and think that it is their right. Such attitudes are toxic. It is likely that when our gifts are met in such a manner that we are less likely to give.

Application — Be thankful. Let thanksgiving become a lifestyle for you. Throughout the day you can make a habit of thanking God for even small acts of kindness (a flower blooming, a bird chirping, a laugh with a friend) He shows to you. And as we are more thankful to God, we will become more thankful to others as well.

All of this is for the glory of God. God gives us grace also for His own glory. When He shows kindness to us and we respond with thanksgiving, God is glorified. When God is glorified, the world is in proper balance, exactly as it should be.

— From our Bible study on Psalm 107 and 2 Corinthians 4:13-18

A Sacrifice of Praise

Psalms 107:22 – And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Here are two other ways a person can show gratitude. Firstly, we can offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. In Old Testament times, that would mean giving an offering at the tabernacle. One way could be to give an offering, to a church or ministry.

The second way that people were to tell of their gratitude was through “songs of joy.” One good way is to write a song. If you are not a talented writer or music composer, you can also change the lyrics of a song, to put in what you are thankful for. Or you can offer songs others have written which express your feelings.

Hebrews 13:15 — “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”

In light of all the things we have learned in the book of Hebrews about Christ and what He has done for us, what should we do? We should praise Him. I really like the use of the word “continually” here. When we think of praising God maybe we think of the weekly “praise and worship” session at church. There is so much more to praising God than this. Besides, if we don’t praise God privately then how can we truly praise Him publicly? When we are walking outside under the moonlight, we can praise God for His creation. When we are laughing and playing with our kids, we can thank and praise God for their unique personalities and the blessings they bring. When we are enjoying a nice meal, we can praise God for giving us taste buds and for His provision. When we study the Word, we can praise God for His character and plan for the world and us.

The point is that we should have an attitude that is always thankful to God for the big and little joys in this life. We should be coming near to God all the time in gratitude, not just once a week, thanking Him for each new day, for each fresh breath that we are blessed with.

A sacrifice is something which is pleasing to God. A real sacrifice normally costs us something. David said he wouldn’t make a sacrifice to God that cost Him nothing. If we are truly offering a sacrifice of praise to God, we must be willing to give up something for Him. What will give up for Him? Money? Time? How about “face”? Our own glory? Our own desires and plans? Our “rights”?

Praise comes from the heart, but this verse makes it clear that we should verbally put words to it. The process of putting words to the thoughts in our heart clarifies in our minds exactly what we are praising God for. This phrase shows that thanksgiving and praise go hand in hand.

— From our Bible study on Psalm 107 and Hebrews 13:9-25

Give Thanks Immediately

Ezra 7:27-28 – Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

The king had been very favorable to the Jews and had provided extensive assistance and materials as they sought to return to Jerusalem. How did Ezra respond to this amazing generosity and kindness? Ezra gave all the praise, glory, and credit to God for this amazing generosity and favor from Artaxerxes. He correctly realized that it was God’s hand that moved the king to do this, and God was actually in control. He knew it was God’s grace and mercy to them and immediately thanked God for it. Ezra’s attitude is admirable and reminds us to always thank God for the things He has done for us. Everything good that happens to us is from God’s hand, and we should not forget Him.

— From our Bible study on Ezra 8

Dedicated with Thanksgiving

Nehemiah and the people were blessed by God and were able to construct the entire wall of Jerusalem in only fifty-two days. When they finished the task of building the wall, they decided to hold a dedication for the wall. When you dedicate something, you commit this person or thing to God’s service and make a commitment to use it for God’s glory rather than your own. Dedicating the wall was their way of saying that the newly built Jerusalem belonged to God. He could do with it and with them what He wanted. They were committing to serving God in this place. They were also praising God for His favor in finishing this task.

It was a celebration. The people were happy. God had favored them in allowing them to get this far. He had favored them in causing their return to the Promised Land, in allowing the rebuilding of the temple, and the rebuilding of the city walls. This was a time for gladness, rejoicing, and thanksgiving.

Application — What kind of things can you celebrate with other believers? When we are following God’s will, there are a lot of reasons to celebrate. In the past couple of years, I have been able to witness several weddings between brothers and sisters. A godly marriage is a great reason for celebration. When we do well, there is a reason to celebrate. Let us live our lives in the light. Let us have a pure conscience in front of God and man so that we can celebrate God’s blessings in our lives together. We can celebrate when people come to the Lord. We can celebrate marriages. We can celebrate birth. We can celebrate the beginning of new fellowships and new churches. Are you living your life in a way that you want to celebrate or in a way that you want to hide?

— From our Bible study on Nehemiah 11-12

With Thanksgiving Instead of Anxiety

Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Our prayers are to be filled with thanksgiving, not only when we get something we want but when we get something we don’t want.

Do you remember when you were a kid and received a gift of socks or perhaps a sweater for Christmas? It may have been difficult to be thankful when you were hoping for the new latest and greatest gadget. But your parents probably trained you to be thankful anyway. And though you may not have realized it at the time, you needed those clothes. They were boring but necessary.

Similarly, God wants us to be thankful in everything. Often times in our limited wisdom, we do not recognize the “why” of what God allows to happen in our lives. Why do I feel such pain? Why did God allow me to be so hurt? But we need to recognize the “who.” The who is God. He allowed these things to happen for our good.

Romans 8:28 — “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

When you truly believe this verse, you will be able to genuinely thank God even in the midst of life’s greatest trials.

Reflect — What is one difficult thing in your life that you need to decide to be thankful for?

— From our Bible study on Philippians 4:1-9

We Constantly Thank God for You

1 Thessalonians 1:2 – We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.

Paul and his co-ministers did not even consider taking any credit themselves for the fruit of their work among the Thessalonians. They knew this was God’s work and God’s power. Because of that, it was only natural for them to humbly and continually thank God for the work that He did there.

Reflect — Do you want God to use you like this? Do you want Him to accomplish great things through you? Then you must commit it to Him, from the beginning (through prayer) to the end (through thanksgiving).

— From our Bible study on 1 Thessalonians 1

Gratitude Should Be Constantly Seeping Out of Us

2 Corinthians 7:6 – But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus.

Paul has an attitude of thanksgiving. When good things happen, he turns them back to God with gratitude. He could have just said, “Titus has an earnest heart for you.” But he realized that Titus’ earnest heart was due to God’s grace in his life. This reflects a worldview that realizes every “good gift is from above.”

Application — Gratitude to God should be constantly seeping out of us. Even when people do well, we should acknowledge that ultimately their good deeds originated in God’s grace. When we have this perspective, we will be more joyful, more humble, and complain less. At the same time, we should not take credit for our own good deeds, knowing that God started this good work in us and it would not be possible without Him.

What motivated Titus to sacrifice his time for the Corinthian church? It was simple. He cared for them. Caring for people is more than just words. It is more than just saying, “I will pray for you.” Titus showed his care by going on a long trip and giving his time for the Corinthians. It is easy to say, “I care.” It is much harder to sacrifice yourself for others.

— From our Bible study on 2 Corinthians 7:6-16

We hope you enjoyed this Bible study on gratitude. May God use His Word to speak into your life and give you strength to follow it. Please take some time to reflect on the questions below and consider leaving a comment with your key takeaway or insight.

Reflection Questions

• What is the “secret” to gratitude?
• How are gratitude and joy linked?
• How can you keep focus on and gratitude toward God even when things aren’t going well?
• What advice would you give a rich person who thinks that he is a “self-made man?”
• Is there something in your life you have been having a bad attitude about? Is there something which has caused you to complain?
• What is one difficult thing in your life that you need to decide to be thankful for?
• What kind of things can you celebrate with other believers?
• What can we share with others?
• What will you give up for Him? Money? Time? Our own glory? Our own desires and plans? Our “rights”?