Key scripture – “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21).

“Thank You, God.” How often do those words cross your lips? How often does genuine gratitude fill your heart? This isn’t a peripheral issue; it’s actually central and critical to our faith.

Only when we acknowledge God as the gracious provider of general blessings—such as life, breath, food, and shelter—do we begin to comprehend our need for God in a personal way and then to express faith in Him.

This is significant. Gratitude precedes faith. In fact, faith grows in the soil of thankfulness.
We should give thanks, not only when times are good and things are going well, but also when they are hard and things are not going well.

Of the many beautiful psalms that David wrote, he said in Psalm 63: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” (Psalm 63:3–4).

We may think David wrote this psalm while he was relaxing around the palace on a beautiful day, but that wasn’t the case. David actually wrote this psalm in exile, while he was running from his son Absalom, who was trying to take his throne. Not only that, but David was an elderly man by this time and he was in anguish and personal pain.

We can praise the Lord in good times, and we can praise the Lord in bad times. Pastor, Greg Laurie points out that he does not think we will fully understand what is good or bad this side of heaven, because when we’re younger we think certain things are good and other things are bad. Success? Always good. Hardship? Always bad. But then, after we’ve lived for a while, we can look back and say, “Actually, success can be bad for some, and hardship can be good for others.” We begin to look at things differently. Sometimes the things we thought were really good turn out to be bad, and the things that we thought were bad turn out to be really good.

The Lord can take all things, bad or good, and according to Romans 8:28, work them “together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Are you willing to give Him thanks? All of the good things God wants to bring into your life sprout in the soil of thankfulness. This goes beyond saying the right words, and just saying a perfunctory “thanks” here and there. True gratitude runs deep. This is a serious heart question: Are you grateful to God? Gratitude and faith are tightly linked: no gratitude—no relationship with God; but know gratitude—and your heart is primed to know God.

Would you describe yourself as a thankful or ungrateful person? How would others describe you?

Do you want to experience the connection between gratitude and faith in your life? Start having an attitude of gratitude and thank God for everything and I mean everything. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of life. For air to breathe. For health and strength. For loved ones who support and care for me. For my church family. For Your Word. And thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who pursues me so faithfully and brings Your truth to bear upon my life. Thank You for the life-changing experience of walking with Jesus Christ. Thank You for the assurance of sins forgiven and the promise of eternal life. I choose today by an act of my will to turn away from complaining and to focus upon Your goodness. Father, would You cause genuine gratitude to fill my heart, thoughts, and words, because You are so worthy and good. I give thanks to You for Your faithfulness, patience, kindness, goodness, unfailing love, Your wonderful deeds, for never forsaking me, for Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.