How to Cultivate Thankfulness When You Don't Feel Very Thankful

Scripture calls us to be quick to give thanks to God. Passages like “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful...” (Colossians 4:2) tell us that lifting up praises for what God has done is a necessary part of the believer’s life. 

But that’s not always easy to do. In fact, when we find ourselves in challenging life situations, expressing our thanks can actually be a source of struggle. Going through a trial, illness or fatigue, unresolved anger or worried and anxious thoughts are just some of the obstacles that can keep us from the vital habit of showing gratitude.

I’ve certainly gone through dry periods where spending time giving thanks to God wasn’t as high on my priority list as it should have been. Though I knew it was important, I didn’t feel like following through in the moment. But each day I chose not to obey this call, I missed a worship opportunity.

So how can we fulfill our call to lift up thanks to God when things are hard, or we just don't feel like it?

Well, I discovered that the Apostle Paul wrote a lot on this subject. In his letters and books, he presents gratitude not as an option, but as one of the most fundamental duties of those who follow Christ. Paul dealt with all sorts of discouraging and dangerous circumstances during his missionary life, yet never stopped lifting up thanks. He did it by training his mind and heart in these ways:

• Paul kept his eyes fixed on Jesus as his Lord (2 Corinthians 4:18)
• Paul had an understanding of God’s bigger plan for mankind (1 Timothy 2:4)
• Paul disciplined his thoughts toward good things (Philippians 4:8)
• Paul reminded himself of ways God had already been faithful (Philippians 1:6)

Paul’s passion for praising Christ inspired me to take gratitude more seriously. I’ve started to grow in this area, becoming more aware of God’s blessings in and around me, and thankfulness to Him has become a more natural response. The best tools I've found to make an attitude adjustment are Scripture verses about who God is, what He has done and His promises to us. Reading them always stirs up gratitude in my heart. 

How to Meditate on Scripture Verses

God’s Word has the power to change your heart, so choosing to study it is a wise and positive step to take. Here are some tips to get the most from your time:

1. Choose the passages from the next section or ones of your own to use, then find a quiet place.

2. Before you start to read, pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you in a new or deeper way as you study.

3. Take your time reading a passage, and read it more than once. A slower pace will help you catch more details and important ideas.

4. Ask yourself questions about the verse: What does this say about God’s character? What did God do here? What promise does God give? Jot your answers down.

5. Personalize the scripture. For example, if you read about God’s provision, think of an instance when He provided for you. Again, write down the situation and how you saw God work.

When you've finished going through the verses you picked, you’ll have compiled a wonderful list of things to thank God for. Chances are you’ll also feel more like expressing gratitude, so go ahead and lift it up to Him. God will be glorified and you’ll feel lighter in spirit.

Scripture Verses That Inspire Thankfulness

Psalm 103:1-5: “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” 

Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

Psalm 8:4-6: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”

Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." 

Isaiah 43:19: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” 

Romans 5:6-8: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Romans 8:28-29: “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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Colossians 1:12-13: “...giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…” 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Raychan

Heather Adams is an author, speaker, and singer living in Connecticut. Heather’s passion is to equip and encourage believers to seek more of God’s truth and to experience more of His joy each day. Her book, “Bow Down: The Heart of a True Worshipper” is a practical, 30-day devotional about worship. Worship Walk Ministries, her blog, offers weekly Scripture passages and insights to ponder. Heather shares her home with her family, an English setter named Marcie and Galaxy, the most curious cat she’s ever met. You can connect with her on her website: heatheradamsworshipwalk.com