In a culture that constantly pushes us to strive for more — more success, more possessions, more recognition — it’s easy to forget the power of gratitude. We often find ourselves measuring our worth against others and feeling dissatisfied with what we have or don’t have. Yet, true gratitude invites us to pause and give thanks for our everyday blessings.

The key to growing in gratitude, like all spiritual practices, is understanding that transformation takes time. Most people don’t wake up one day suddenly overflowing with gratitude, especially during difficult circumstances. Instead, incorporating daily or weekly rhythms of gratitude will strengthen this muscle, and over time, you’ll find that you naturally develop a more grateful heart. Here are some exercises to get started:

• Gratitude journal: Keep a record of all the things you’re thankful for. When you notice something, write it down! Journaling may help you become increasingly aware of the good gifts in your life and be reminded of God’s abundance.
• Prayer: Cultivating a grateful heart is impossible without the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is why it’s so important to ask God to deepen our gratitude and reveal areas where we might be inclined to complain instead.
• Thank you note: We often write thank you notes after receiving a gift from someone, such as graduation money or for attending our birthday party. Consider writing a letter to someone who has impacted you recently, simply thanking them for who they are.
• Giving: By gratefully giving of our time, finances, etc., we are expressing to God our appreciation of him and all he has given to us.
• Worship: Spend time worshipping God, expressing your thankfulness and adoration for who he is. Find a song that emphasizes his character to you right now, dwell on the lyrics and soak in his presence.
• Gathering: Host a dinner party or small gathering with friends or family. Invite the people you want to honor and thank for having the pleasure of knowing. This is a beautiful way to form a grateful heart in community.

It requires discipline to stitch our days together with the thread of gratitude. However, through these simple spiritual practices, you can begin to nurture a grateful heart that reflects God's goodness, strengthens your faith and brings greater joy into your everyday life. Calhoun writes that practicing gratitude can produce the following God-given fruit:¹

• Keeping company with Jesus despite circumstance
• Building awareness of the abundance of gifts, benefits, mercies and grace that has been bestowed upon you
• Replacing complaints with thanksgiving
• Focusing on what you have rather than what you lack
• Valuing people around you more
• Thanking the Lord daily for his presence in your life
• Noticing an absence of gratitude and repenting of your heart’s idols
• Believing everything you have is a gift rather than an entitlement

With God dwelling inside of us, we have the power to turn from bitter people to thankful people. If you desire to learn more about gratitude or other spiritual practices, consider adding Grand Canyon University’s Spiritual Formation and Discipleship minor to your degree or exploring other programs within the College of Theology. You can also attend Spiritual Formation workshops to become further equipped with tools to live a vibrant life with God. Fill out the form on this page to learn more today.

Gratitude is the ability to recognize and appreciate the full range of life’s blessings — big or small; good or bad — and to find a sense of meaning and connection in them all.

Author Adele Calhoun paints a beautiful analogy of this, saying it is a thread that can bind together all the patchwork squares of our lives — difficult times, happy days, seasons of sickness and hours of bliss.¹

Having a grateful heart also requires a humble acknowledgment that all we have been given is from above. Practicing gratitude counteracts our pride and discontentment, shaping us into people marked by thankfulness and better reflecting the character of Christ.

Gratitude is not a practice we solely see executed on Thanksgiving or rare occasions but time and time again in Scripture. I encourage you to sit in these passages that demonstrate the concept of a grateful heart:

Mark 6:41

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. — Mark 6:41 NIV

In this biblical narrative, Jesus is faced with thousands of hungry people and only five loads of bread and two fish. Rather than groaning about God's expectation of him to feed such a large crowd with so little, he notices what is right in front of him and gives thanks.

Similarly, we are called to give thanks to God in all circumstances, a challenge especially difficult in times of hardship. When we see others being blessed with what we lack, our hearts may quickly turn bitter. Yet, because we know that God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28), we can choose to praise him in every season.

Psalm 136:1-2

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His love endures forever. — Psalm 136:1-2 NIV

This Scripture emphasizes God's enduring goodness and love, reminding us to offer thanks for his unchanging nature. Repeating the phrase "his love endures forever" reinforces the assurance that God's love is constant, unshakeable and worthy of our continual gratitude.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

Again, we are called to a life of constant thanksgiving, no matter the circumstances. It reminds us that living with a grateful heart is not only an expression of faith but also aligns with God's will for us.