How Does the Bible Encourage Us to Give Thanks, even in Hard Times?

It’s easy to thank God when He has already provided and met our needs. Many of the Psalms, especially those known as thanksgiving Psalms, show gratitude to God for the harvest and provision of food (Psalm 67), for salvation (Psalm 65), for God as Redeemer (Psalm 107), for fair judgment (Psalm 75), deliverance (Psalm 124) and much more.

In the New Testament, gratitude is shown to God and to Jesus for His miraculous healings — by a blind man given sight (Luke 18:42-43) and a Samaritan cured of leprosy (Luke 17:151-6).

However, the Bible also gives us examples of thanking God for provision before it has been given. In the Gospel accounts of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes (Matthew 14:14–21; 15:29–39; Mark 6:30–44; 8:1–13; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15) to feed the thousands following Him, Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks to His Father before performing the miracle. Scholars comment that Jesus’ prayer was more than a blessing on the food before He multiplied it, but a prayer of thanks to God as Provider.

God is Provider of all things — from the breath in our lungs, to the food on our tables — and of the answers to all our prayer requests, however large or small.

As you cry out to God for Him to meet your needs, begin with thanksgiving for what He is about to provide because, as Paul proclaims: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

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The Bible always encourages us to think “big picture” and give thanks to God for His redeeming work. This helps us keep our current circumstances in perspective and look beyond them.

In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were encouraged to constantly remember how God had delivered them from Egypt: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery (Exodus 20:2, Deuteronomy 5:6). They were never to forget what God had done for them. Psalms 81, 105, 136 are examples of this remembrance, allowing the people to give thanks and praise to God for his deliverance.

In the New Testament, God’s redeeming work through Jesus Christ becomes the focus of thanksgiving. Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians with “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus'' (1 Corinthians 1:4). “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).

Today, we sing hymns and songs of praise, and offer prayers of thanksgiving for our redemption through Christ when we come together to worship in our church communities. And no matter how hard this may be to do when we are hurting and life is difficult, it is good to be in the midst of a community who gives thanks to God.

Gratitude for God’s gift of grace, the mercy He has shown us, the sacrifice of His Son that enables us to come freely into His presence as His children, and to receive a rich inheritance should have a place in all our current circumstances, even those that are sad and difficult.

Today, read Ephesians 1:3-14, which is full of the riches we receive from God not only for the life that is to come, but for the life we have now, and give thanks to God.

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It is the unchanging character of God that allows us to receive His abundance of provision and generosity of deliverance. We should always be thankful for who God is.

God’s character allows us to trust Him during hard times and give thanks to Him in the middle of difficulties. Not only that, but focusing on inherent qualities of God through thanksgiving strengthens our faith and trust in Him when we need it most.

Psalms that are categorized as laments, both individual and communal cries for help, usually conclude with words of thanksgiving. These Psalms teach us that we can pour out our pain to God, but also that we can trust Him and have assurance that God will answer our cries, because of the goodness of His character.

Often these Psalms end with thanksgiving and praise to God for past deliverance, but also with gratitude for aspects of His character. Here are a few examples:

For God’s love: Psalm 13 ends with thanksgiving for God’s love: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6).

Psalm 57 ends with praise for God’s faithfulness: “I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;  I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies” (Psalm 57:9-10).

Psalm 73 ends with praise for God’s goodness: “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:28).

Psalm 71 thanks God for his righteousness: “My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion” (Psalm 71:24).

The verses above are just a small example of the numerous aspects of God’s nature for which we can give thanks. I encourage you to find your own as you read and study the Bible.

Thus, Scripture indicates that thanksgiving should be a central part of our lives, not only because God is worthy of our praise, but because thankfulness can replace and overcome our despair and anxiety. When we are constantly and consistently thankful, we are able to retain or discover joy and peace.

For more Scripture encouragement on giving thanks visit:

50 Thanksgiving Bible Verses and Scriptures to Inspire Thankfulness
55 Bible Verses About Gratitude for a Heart of Thanksgiving
25 Thanksgiving Prayer Ideas for Showing Gratitude and Giving Thanks to God

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