Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! – 1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV
As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in America, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that gratitude should be a regular practice for Christ-followers. When we take time to acknowledge who God is and all He has done, it resets our minds and aligns our hearts with His gracious provision.
When the people of Israel carried the ark of God into the city of Jerusalem, David instituted a praise and worship session that would become a blueprint for gratitude repeated throughout history. One we can still use today.
10-step blueprint for a grateful heart:
1 – Call upon His name. From the earliest generations, the faithful have called upon the name of the Lord. Beseeching Him in all times and for all things. When His children call upon His name, Almighty God hears.
2 – Give thanks. This type of thanksgiving is a public declaration akin to throwing praise towards God. With raised hands and lifted hearts, we offer our gratitude to a good and worthy Father.
3 – Make known His deeds and His wondrous works. It has always been God’s desire that His people would show and share His mighty deeds and His faithful love to the world around us. God has done so much for us, and it should be our great pleasure to make Him known!
4 – Sing praise. Our song of praise flows from a heart filled with gratitude. It unites melody with verbal communication, conveying joy. Our praise is the song of a thankful heart, and it pleases God.
5 – Rejoice in His holy name. Joy is the gladness of heart that is not dependent on our circumstances. It permeates our lives when we trust in the goodness of God for all things.
6 – Seek His face. The God of the universe promises that those who seek Him will find Him. When we seek His face, we pursue fellowship with Him and are reminded of His constant presence.
7 – Remember His faithfulness. Regularly remembering who God is and what He has done protects us from spiritual amnesia. When difficulties come, we can reflect on God’s faithfulness in the past to trust in His faithfulness for the future.
8 – Proclaim the good news. God has ordained to make His salvation plan known through the proclamation of His people. What better way to show our gratitude for the saving power of Jesus Christ than to spread the word!
9 – Declare His glory. God’s glory is the radiant, awe-inspiring self-disclosure of His being, and we are living demonstrations of His grace. It is the sanctifying power of God in our lives that declares His glory to the rest of the world.
10 – Worship. The verb translated as worship literally means to bow down in acknowledgment of another’s honor and authority. It is the ultimate act of humble submission that reminds us of who we are and who God is.
When you cultivate an attitude of gratitude in all things and at all times, the joy of the Lord will saturate your soul.
