20 Inspiring Benefits of Giving Thanks to God

Did you know there are so many Inspiring Benefits of Giving Thanks to God

When life is hard, the last thing you want to do is have an attitude of gratitude. But just what if having a thankful heart could totally turn your perspective around and inspire you to see your glass as overflowing? With a new perspective, we can give thanks to God and find the good in every day no matter what our circumstances are.

Thanksgiving positively impacts our physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Through encouraging thankful Bible verses, we will explore the Inspiring Benefits of Giving Thanks to God. 

Sometimes it can seem hard to find, but there is so much to be thankful for. God’s provision, His unfailing love, His healing, goodness, mercy, and grace are just the start of all the blessings He’s given to us. As we give Him all the glory and appreciate Him, we will find that our faith in Him grows deeper, and we will experience a blessed life, despite of and in all of our circumstances. 

Benefits of thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful day to reflect on all that the Lord has done and give thanks to Him but the goal should be to make gratitude something you do in your everyday life. 

An attitude of thanksgiving is one of the key foundations of a vibrant Christian life. It’s a simple act but it requires us to be disciplined to practice it. It takes intentionality to see God’s goodness all around us and praise Him for it. 

But how do we give God thanks? Some of the best ways to do this are through prayer to the Lord. As we will see in these thankful Bible verses, prayers should be balanced and not just be a list of requests but also should be about giving God praise. When we pray, we can name specifically what we are grateful for and give God glory. 

You can give God thanks through songs of praise and worship when you’re alone or with others in the church. These draw our hearts near to the Lord and help us focus on Him. 

Then we can give God thanks by keeping a gratitude journal and through our actions. Being a generous giver and helping others in need through any resources we may have comes from a thankful heart.  

When we notice the goodness of God through nature, people, and circumstances around us, it opens our eyes and hearts to the unfailing love of God upon us. Together with some powerful thanksgiving scriptures, we will explore some of the Inspiring Benefits of Giving Thanks to God. 

1. Giving thanks to God glorifies Him 

“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”

      2 Corinthians 4:15 ESV

Because of the grace of God in our lives, we get to wake up each morning and experience a new day with fresh mercies and His love and presence surrounding us. All glory, honor, and majesty truly belong to our Heavenly Father. When we appreciate all He’s given us and all He does, it pleases Him. 

2. A grateful heart is a content heart 

“But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God].”

1 Timothy 6:6 AMP 

When you are content with what you have you have less envy and resentment for what others have. You don’t compare yourself with others and wish you had what they have. 

This doesn’t mean you don’t want more from life. You can still aspire for more and work for your goals and dreams, but the key is to be happy with the level you are at today and content with the resources you own today. As the Lord blesses you and adds more, just continue to be joyful and content. 

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

For he satisfies the longing soul,

and the hungry soul he fills with good things.”

Psalm 107:8-9 ESV

3. A thankful heart gives you access to God’s presence 

The Bible says when we enter God’s presence we should do so with thanksgiving and praise. This is through prayer and worship. 

Expressing gratitude in words helps us to receive God’s grace, mercy, and favor in His presence. We can then ask for what we need because we know that He will hear us and answer us. 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100:4-5 NIV

4. Giving thanks to God gives you supernatural strength

In the New Testament, we read about the story of Paul and Silas who had been jailed for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While in prison, they didn’t blame God and instead of having a victim mentality, they had a victorious mentality. 

“But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

Acts 16:25 AMP

Having an attitude of thanksgiving helps you face and overcome life’s overwhelming challenges. You learn to have a positive mindset and believe that your present situation is not your permanent situation which gives you strength in the face of life’s storms. 

5. Being grateful keeps you humble

A thankful God appreciates that God deserves all the credit for all that we have in life. It’s not by your intellect, your power, might, or wisdom that you have everything you have but all glory and praise belongs to God. He is the Creator of all things and the Giver of all gifts. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

James 1:17 ESV

6. You have greater energy and emotional well-being

Difficult times over a long period can make you weary, and exhausted and strain you physically and mentally. When you cultivate an attitude of gratitude, you start to have more energy to face the day. 

As you realize how blessed you are, this has a positive impact on your emotional well-being. Positive energy is contagious and everywhere you go, you’ll spread it to those around you.

Your hope and confidence should not be in your own ability to overcome challenges but in the Lord’s proven ability to do so. 

“But those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

7. Thanksgiving and praise increase your faith 

“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,  being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Romans 4:20-21 NIV 

The story of Abraham is an inspiring one in the Word of God. He continued to glorify the Lord even when he was old and childless. He held onto the Lord’s promise that he would one day be a father of generations. 

Praising the Lord will increase your faith as you trust in the Bible which is filled with His plans and promises for you. 

8. Being thankful balances your prayer life

“Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

Colossians 4:2 AMP

Our prayers should not be a long list of requests that we want our Heavenly Father to fulfill. Effective prayers are consistent, in line with God’s Word, and with an attitude of thanksgiving to the Giver of all gifts. 

9. Thanksgiving is God’s will for us

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

This is one of my favorite Bible verses about Thanksgiving. As Christians, we desire to do the will of God every day of our lives. Well, the Bible clearly tells us that cultivating a thankful heart is doing the will of God. 

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

The more we praise the Lord and appreciate Him for all He does, the more He will be pleased with us. 

10. Giving thanks to God brings peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15 NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

In these Thanksgiving scriptures, we learn that it’s normal to become anxious in difficult times, but that’s exactly the time our Heavenly Father wants us to turn to Him in prayer. There is no problem that is too small or too big for God. He encourages us to come to Him with an attitude of thanksgiving and tell Him everything that we need. 

When we do, He promises that His supernatural peace will rule our hearts and minds. Gratitude causes us to be calm even during trials and tribulations because we know we’ve prayed to God who has great power and will take care of us and the situation we’re facing. 

11. Giving God thanks leads to answered prayers

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

I bow down toward your holy temple

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

for you have exalted above all things

your name and your word.

On the day I called, you answered me;

my strength of soul you increased.”

Psalm 138:1-3 ESV

In this wonderful thanksgiving Bible verse, we see that sincere gratitude to the Lord and worshipping Him for His steadfast love, grace, and faithfulness brings amazing results. When you cultivate an attitude of gratitude, God will remember you and answer your prayers when you call unto His name. 

When your prayers are answered you become stronger in your faith and you trust God more and more because you have experienced His faithfulness. 

Whenever thanksgiving rises to God, He is stirred into action to perform a miracle. Have a thankful heart because thanksgiving releases the enormous power of God to do wonders in your life.

12. A grateful heart shows obedience to Christ’s teachings  

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Colossians 3:16 NIV

Paul encourages us to allow the Word of Christ which is his teaching to live within us. When we do that, we become wise and we allow the Word of God to guide, counsel, and instruct us which leads to us gaining wisdom. 

Something else that happens when Christ is in us is we are led to praise Him with different songs and our praise is with gratitude. Praise and worship should not be focused on us and how we feel but with sincere hearts it should be focused on the Lord and giving Him all the praise and honor. 

13. Giving thanks helps us sleep and rest well

A restless mind is usually caused by anxiety and you struggle to sleep and are always tired. If you find yourself struggling to sleep, take your gratitude journal and jot down all the Lord has done for you. 

As you do that, you start having a positive outlook on life, peace, and calmness take over your mind and heart and you find yourself having peaceful rest and sleep.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, Lord,

make me dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8 NIV

14. Gratitude draws us closer to the Lord

God’s goodness and kindness toward us draw us closer to Him. When we sing Thanksgiving praise and worship songs, we realize that we are truly loved and that God’s grace and favor are abundant in our lives. 

The most perfect gift we’ve received from God is His Son Jesus Christ who came to die for our sins and gave us freedom, redemption, reconciliation, and a new identity, among many other wonderful things. He is an indescribable gift, and the name of the Lord Jesus has more power than any other name. 

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV

15. A thankful heart makes us joyful 

The Word of God promises us that when we start to reflect on the good things God has done in our lives, our hearts will be filled with joy. The joy we feel comes from the hope we have for a secure and brighter future with him.

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

and our tongue with shouts of joy;

            then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us;

we are glad.”

Psalms 126:1-3 ESV

16. Gratitude changes our perspective

When things are not going your way, having a grateful heart leads to less frustration. Remembering the Lord’s faithfulness in the past brings perspective to the present circumstances. If God answered prayers before, He will answer them again. 

When you appreciate God, you also understand that He works everything for your good. And no, I am not saying He causes bad things to happen, but He is able to redeem even the hardest of situations.

Yes, even the things that don’t make sense and are devastating at worst and frustrating at best. Seeing God’s redemptive hand in the hardest seasons of life opens your eyes to have an eternal purpose & perspective. 

The Apostle Paul is one great example of someone who faced hard times but remained thankful because he kept this eternal perspective. 

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 NIV 

17. Giving God thanks is a weapon to fight the enemy

The enemy is the father of lies who schemes and manipulates situations so that we lose our faith and trust in the Lord. But when we praise our God and rejoice in Him and remember God’s goodness, it becomes a strong weapon to fight the enemy’s attacks. 

The Bible even promises us that the enemy flees amid praise because it’s then that all the glory goes to God and not to ourselves.

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

 I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

 I will be glad and exult in you;

 I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,

they stumble and perish before your presence.

For you have maintained my just cause;

you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

Psalm 9:1-4 ESV

18. Thanksgiving reminds us of the power of God

Do you sometimes doubt the power and majesty of the living God we serve? The miracle-working God who parted the Red Sea, made manna fall down from Heaven, raised the dead, and healed many who had been afflicted for so many years lives inside of you through the Holy Spirit. 

Giving thanks to God is a powerful reminder of His power. He is the creator of all the world and the universe. Even in your own life, He has shown His power, and you have countless testimonies of what He’s done for you and your family. As you intentionally remember all of them, you realize that we worship and serve a great God. 

“O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.”

Psalm 8:1 NIV 

19. Thanksgiving encourages others 

Have you ever listened to someone sharing their testimony of a breakthrough they experienced in their life? That testimony of God’s love and how He answers prayers can inspire and encourage you in ways you’d never have thought of. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 ESV 

Imagine the impact that Paul and Silas who we mentioned earlier had on other prisoners as they sang hymns and praised God in jail.

What God did for someone, He can do for you as well. Even reading the stories in the Bible of healing and breakthroughs can encourage you as you know that it can happen to you as well. 

20. Thanksgiving brings total deliverance 

“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and perform your vows to the Most High,

and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 50:14-15 ESV

Thanksgiving can be easy in the good times, but it is a sacrifice in hard times such as during a financial crisis or when you or a loved one is sick.  You offer thanks to God as a sacrifice because you would not normally give thanks for those circumstances.

The promise from this Thanksgiving scripture is when we do, it brings total deliverance from all our troubles. God’s deliverance can come in different ways because His ways are not the same as we’d want or expect.  

He can deliver you from your circumstances, through your circumstances, or will change your circumstances. The key thing is to trust Him through the process and thank Him for His answer. 

When you thank Him in difficult times, He gets bigger, and the circumstances become smaller.

The Thanksgiving holiday season is a great time of the year to reflect on God’s goodness and appreciate Him for all the good things He does for us, but we should always cultivate a thankful heart in our everyday lives.

Cultivating a life of thanksgiving isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. Giving thanks to God for even the littlest things can totally change you from the inside out and even have a powerful impact on the world around you. 

Give these songs about gratitude a listen to get you in the spirit of thanksgiving!

Gratitude to God is a gift to the ones you love and a light to the world that likes to focus on all that is going wrong instead of seeing the beauty in all that is right. 

May these Inspiring Benefits of Giving Thanks to God encourage you to intentionally cultivate a thankful heart that honors and glorifies the Lord in all seasons of your life.