In life, we all go through hard times. It’s how we handle those hardships that truly defines us. As a Christian and a believer in the power of words, I think gratitude is one of the most important things we can practice. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Expressing gratitude for what or who you have in your life creates an environment where abundance flourishes instead of scarcity, and this affects everything from our health to our happiness to our love lives. This article highlights giving thanks to god for everything, and sermon being thankful in difficult times.
The terror that would seize my heart and jolt me awake in the middle of the night. This is all too common an occurrence. In the midst of such turmoil, sleep seemed like a distant memory.
My anxiety and stress would keep me awake all night. When I couldn’t relax, I’d open the Bible.
In the stillness of the night, I would frantically search the Bible for passages about enduring adversity. Early on in my travels, I realized that shifting my focus from worry and anxiety to appreciation and gratitude helped me fall asleep again.
There were many nights when I only needed one verse to put my mind at ease and my body to unwind. On other occasions, I would fight my mind for hours. A lack of sleep quickly dampened my enthusiasm. I would wake up the next day irritable and short-fused, and it would only make my depression worse.
Bible Verses About Being Thankful for the Little Things
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
2. Luke 16:10: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
3. Matthew 10:29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
4. Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
5. Psalm 100:4: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
Bible Verses About Being Thankful for Blessings
1. James 1:17: “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.”
2. Psalm 107:1: “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
3. Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
4. 2 Corinthians 9:11: “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”
5. Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Giving Thanks in Difficult Times
1. Psalm 34:1: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
2. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
3. James 1:2-3: ”Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
4. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
5. Psalm 30:5: “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Bible Verses About Appreciation and Gratitude to Others
1. Ephesians 5:20: ”Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. Philippians 1:3: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.”
3. 1 Thessalonians 1:2: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.”
4. Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
5. Hebrews 13:15: “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Giving Thanks to God for Everything
1. Psalm 107:8-9: “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.”
2. 1 Chronicles 16:34: ”Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
3. Psalm 136:26: “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
4. Colossians 1:11-12: “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
5. Psalm 106:1: “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Thanking God in Difficult Times Quotes
1. Psalm 34:17-18: “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
2. Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
3. Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
4. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
5. Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Bible Verse Thankful Heart
1. Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
2. Colossians 3:15-17: ”And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
4. Psalm 28:7: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
5. Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Prayer of Thanksgiving in Difficult Times
1. Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
2. Psalm 107:28-31: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”
3. Psalm 116:17-19: “I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!”
4. Ephesians 5:20: “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
5. Colossians 3:15-17: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Bible Verses About Thankfulness In Hard Times
In times of difficulty and trial, it can be easy to lose sight of our blessings and focus instead on our struggles. However, the Bible teaches us the importance of gratitude and thankfulness even in the midst of hard times. Here are 12 Bible verses that remind us to be thankful in all circumstances:
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
2. Psalm 106:1
“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
3. Colossians 3:15
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
4. Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
5. 1 Chronicles 16:34
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
6. Colossians 4:2
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
7. Hebrews 12:28
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”
8. 1 Corinthians 15:57
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
9. Ephesians 5:20
“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
10. James 1:17
“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.”
11. Psalm 34:1
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
12. 2 Corinthians 9:15
“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
Let these verses serve as a reminder to always be thankful, even in the midst of hard times. Remember that gratitude can change our perspective and bring peace to our hearts.
Giving Thanks To God For Everything
1Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
22 Corinthians 9:11
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
31 Timothy 4:4-5
“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”
4Psalm 106:1
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“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
5Hebrews 12:28-29
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“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
6Hebrews 13:15
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“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”
7Psalm 107:21
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“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.”
8Psalm 69:30
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“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
9Colossians 3:16
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“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
101 Chronicles 16:8
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“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”
11Psalm 34:8
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“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! “
Sermon Being Thankful In Difficult Times
After the recent “thanksgiving” holiday, I’d like to take a moment to thank God for all of his blessings. Particularly, thanking God in times of distress. Every one of us has either personally experienced or been close to someone going through a rough patch. My hope for us today is that we will be inspired to thank God despite the trials we are facing.
I think that too often we base our gratitude on how we feel about our current situations. So, when times are good, we express gratitude; when times are bad, we keep our mouths shut (or, worse, voice complaints and curses). Sisters and brothers, this really shouldn’t be the case. For –
As the Bible says, we should always be thankful.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” the apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Additionally, David declared in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
And there are many of us –
Scriptures that show the value of gratitude even in adversity
This morning, we’ll take a look at three. The prophet Habakkuk in Chapter 3 of Habakkuk.
Where does he stand in life? Judah, it seems, is the target of God’s wrath. The invading Babylonians caused a great deal of damage. And the rest of the populace has been forcibly removed and taken into exile. Even though God had commissioned them to pass judgment on Judah, they had gone far beyond the call of duty.
Surprisingly, the prophet is still rejoicing in the Lord despite everything that has transpired.
If the olive crop fails and the fields produce nothing to eat, if the sheep are scattered from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be glad in the God who is my salvation (vv. 17-18).
His happiness has nothing to do with his current situation or his current emotions.
In Psalm 57, David serves as a model for us.
Can you tell me about his situation? Threats to his life are imminent. According to the psalm’s superscription, David wrote it while hiding from King Saul in a cave.
In verses 1 and 2, he prays to God, saying, “Be merciful to me, O God, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” I beseech the Almighty, the God who uses me for his good pleasure.
His anguish is poetically described in verses 4 and 6: “My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts — the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.” They had a net set up for me to walk into, and I felt my spirit sink. They dug a hole in the ground right in front of me…
Despite his plight, he expresses gratitude to God. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! he proclaims in verses 5 and 11. Let your name be proclaimed throughout the world.
The apostle Paul provides a model for us in Philippians 1.
Can you tell me about his situation? He was arrested for sharing the gospel and is currently serving time. Even while Paul is behind bars, some of his opponents are trying to use this against him.
Paul, on the other hand, is very happy. For example, in verse 18 we ask, “What then? Only that Christ is proclaimed in all things, whether in pretense or in truth, and in that I find joy.
Despite his predicament and his emotions, he is able to find joy.
Any news for us this morning? Could we be as effective as Paul, David, and Habakkuk? Then, let’s take a look at –
The reason why we can always find reason to be grateful
First, God is worthy of our thanksgiving because of who He is.
God deserves praise in and of himself, regardless of what he chooses to do. God’s majesty and power are beyond human comprehension. Nothing can compare to God in terms of his nature and might. Indeed, we should celebrate him for being himself.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for the faithful love of the Lord lasts for ever (Psalm 106:1).
Regardless of how things turn out for us, God is still God and deserving of our praise.
Because of what God has done, we have reason to give thanks.
We can still praise God and give thanks in spite of our difficulties.
To paraphrase James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” Life and breath are gifts from God, as are friends and family. God is the source of everything good in your life.
Therefore, we should always remember to be grateful for God’s favor, no matter what else is going on.
It’s possible for us to express gratitude Third, because our future and hope are secured in God. Hard times are something God allows us to go through. There are times when life is extremely difficult. Sadly, this is true. No matter what we go through in this life, we know that there is a better one waiting for us. That which we experience in this life is not all there is. In fact, our focus should be on the life to come rather than the one we have right now.
To his readers, Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:6, “Now for a little while… you have been grieved by various trials.” The last thing he said was, “in this you rejoice.” How can they find joy in their affliction? Those verses 4–5 explain why. A salvation “prepared to be revealed in the last time” is theirs, and it is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.”
For us Christians, this faith provides perspective. We will, without a doubt, face challenging times. But in the hereafter, we will enjoy great prosperity.
It’s possible for us to express gratitude And fourth, because God can turn our trials into blessings. God can redeem even the darkest of experiences, such as loss and grief. This doesn’t imply that God is to blame for our suffering; rather, it shows that He is greater than anything that could possibly go wrong.
In Romans 8:28, Paul makes this very point. For those who are called by God and are part of his divine plan, “we know that all things work together for good.” God can use any circumstance for good if He chooses to. God’s love for us is demonstrated by his willingness to help us in this way despite our trials.
God grants us the fortitude to express gratitude, so we can.
Because, as Jesus put it, “the flesh is weak,” it’s easy to give in to despair and want to give up when hardship strikes. Jesus then says, “the Spirit is willing,” though (Mark 14:38). In spite of our hardships, the Spirit can help us give thanks.
After finding joy in his trials, the prophet Habakkuk declares in Habakkuk 3:19, “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he makes me tread on my high places.” The Lord is the one who gives us reason to celebrate even in the midst of adversity.
For these and other reasons –
As a church, we have reason to be grateful this morning.
First, because God is incredible.
As a result of the many ways in which God has blessed this church,
Third, no matter how bad things get, we can always put our faith in God and know that our lives have a future.
Fourth, because God can bring good out of even the darkest of circumstances
- Because we have the fortitude to do so from God.
Let us pray that he continues to fortify us even this week.