Why We Show Gratitude
By Cory Paskins
Showing gratitude towards one another is one of the most positive things we can do as human beings and as children of God. Many times we become so busy in our daily lives that we can overlook opportunities to show our gratitude. Often we forget to slow down and take the time to reflect on what the people around us are doing for us and what God is doing for us. That's why in this blog I want to cover the following four questions:
- Why do we show our gratitude towards the people around us?
- How do we show our gratitude towards the people around us?
- Why do we show our gratitude towards God?
- How do we show our gratitude towards God?
Why do we show our gratitude towards the people around us?
At NCC we show our gratitude towards each other, not only because it's the polite and proper thing to do, but because we love each other! We understand the wonderful feeling of being appreciated, so we seek to find ways to acknowledge and appreciate others in the same way.
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18)
How do we show our gratitude towards the people around us?
There are many different ways we can show our gratitude towards the people around us. We can do things like offer to take them out to eat, buy them a gift, write them a thank you letter, or even give them a call to tell them our appreciation. A simple thank you or hug could change the outcome of someone's entire day in a huge way! Showing the people around us our gratitude towards them is a powerful way to share the love of Christ that is in us.
Why do we show our gratitude towards God?
Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all His praise? (Psalms 106:1-2)
We thank God because He is so good to us, and is constantly looking out for our best interests. We thank Him for the unconditional love that He freely gives us. When we think about the fact that God gave His only Son to die for us, how can we not help but to overflow with gratitude towards Him? He created us, cares for us, protects us, and adopted us into His family. He deserves all the gratitude we could possibly give Him and more.
How do we show our gratitude towards God?
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Psalms 141:2)
Through Jesus Christ we have direct communication to the Father by prayer, so we can personally thank Him for anything and everything at any time! We can show Him our gratitude by praising Him throughout the week with beautiful songs of Thanksgiving. We can also show God our gratefulness by obeying His commands, following His Spirit and living our lives in accordance to His will.
As you take time to reflect on your own life, can you think of someone who deserves your gratitude? Maybe a parent, friend, or coworker who constantly shows you acts of kindness Looking back on your life can you think of things that God has done for you that you never took time to acknowledged? If so, it is never too late to show your gratitude today!
Do you want to write for the NCC Blog?
Contact blog@newcirclechurch.com!
