A spirit of thankfulness isn’t reserved for one day of the year like in the United States (Thanksgiving). No, in God’s kingdom, thankfulness is an inward gratitude for His love, which motivates me to give Him glory daily. Since I live in a broken world and face the consequences of sin, it isn’t surprising that I tend to forget to thank God.

 Thanksgiving for Salvation

We can agree that God’s gift of salvation is worthy of daily thanksgiving. Nothing is more impactful to our eternal existence than His gift of redemption. Indeed, my everlasting resting place directly results from my faith in Christ (John 14:6).

Our common denominator is that God chose us to enter His kingdom.  This undeniable fact shows up in our transformation from being dominated by sin to one sanctified by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

It’s in Jesus’s pain and suffering on the cross that God opens the door to heaven (John 3:16-17). For this reason, my spirit of thankfulness emerges.

I must remember that it wasn’t anything I did, that granted me salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10). The choice in the matter wasn’t of my own making. No, it all came from God through Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

It’s in the Holy Trinity that shows me God’s love, and this revelation breeds a spirit of thankfulness. I owe everything to Him and can’t take credit for this incredible consciousness. This great reality of His compassion leads me to a spirit of gratitude. I can’t thank Him enough for including me in His kingdom.

As shown above, believing in Christ is the only way to God and the most significant reason for a spirit of thankfulness.

Gratitude for Spiritual Fruit

 Gratitude for spiritual fruit changes my response to life circumstances. Before God saved me, I reacted to the fallen world with bitterness, resentment, and anger. There wasn’t anything for me to give thanks because my outlook on life was self-centered. My self-bondage controlled my actions and behaviors.

It’s a joyful occasion to share that I no longer live ungratefully. God gave me a new perspective on life. One that provides an endless supply of thanksgiving. And the fruit of the Spirit gives me abundant evidence to live in gratitude.  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well. (Galatians 5:22-25, NASB)

To love the way God does (Matthew 5:43-48), have the peace of Christ (John 14:27-28), and express the joy of salvation (John 15:9-17) are invitations for an attitude of gratitude.

Spiritual patience (2 Peter 3:9), kindness (Romans 11:22), and goodness (2 Corinthians 9:8) are ways of showing others reasons for thanking God.

Faithfulness (1 John 1:9), gentleness (Matthew 11:29-30), and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7) radiate to others a life filled with gratitude.

These nine divine virtues are the blueprint of kingdom-living and foster a spirit of thankfulness.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit separates us from the flesh and the world. In God’s Spirit, we know Truth and reason for placing us in Christ.

With this in mind, shouldn’t my heart pour out thankfulness?

Final Thoughts

Given these points, a spirit of thankfulness is a daily and often an hour-by-hour gratitude for God’s grace. This is a brief discussion, and God’s word is full of opportunities to learn how to live with appreciation for His gift of salvation.

There isn’t anything wrong with celebrating a day of Thanksgiving, but in the lives of a believer, this isn’t enough to glorify God.

How do you show your thankful spirit?