Thankfulness Mindset Tips
Thankfulness is a way of thinking that we need to have on a daily basis to keep us content. We can look to God’s Holy Word and see how He shows us the best ways to give thanks. These ways are the tips that help us be thankful throughout the day, regardless of how the day has been.
Focus on God & His Holy Name
Our first thankfulness mindset tip is focusing on the name of God. When we focus on God and His Name, it puts the focus on Him. He is the one that we adore and worship. We give thanks for what He has done for us.
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
1 Chronicles 16:8 ESV
When we give thanks to His name, we can call on Him with the names that He is given throughout scripture. Some are Yahweh, Lord, God Almighty, El Roi, etc. In this next verse, the name given is Most High. He is our Sovereign God who is ruler over all kings, presidents, or rulers that we have today.
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Psalm 7:17 ESV
And in this next verse, He is holy! Isn’t it great that we serve a God who is Holy? If he wasn’t holy, there’d be no point in serving a God who is unholy. Thank you, Lord, that you are holy and righteous and true!
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
Psalm 30:4 ESV
We worship Him because He is seated on the throne and is an eternal God.
And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
Revelation 4:9 ESV
When and where do we praise His Name?
We praise Him in the courts of God. In Biblical times for the people, that was the outer courts of the temple. For us, that is our worship settings in our churches each Sunday.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4 ESV
And we can worship Him among many people at church. We were meant to have fellowship with others.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
Psalm 109:30 NIV
You and I know that we can praise His Holy name anywhere we are. In our houses, in our cars, and while are doing the dishes, laundry, or working at our jobs or in school. A couple of weeks ago, Dave and I were following a car and this ladie’s arm was outside her window and she was pointing to the heavens. We knew that she was praising God and His name from her car while she was driving in traffic.
How do we worship?
We worship with a joyful attitude. It is not to be said without spirit or lack of enthusiasm. When I think of enthusiasm, I think of our grandkids. When we pull into the driveway of our daughter’s house, the grandkids come running out of their house, excited, yelling our names, and wrapping their arms around our necks with a big hug!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.
Psalm 95:2 ESV
Do you ‘run’ to the Father’s arms on a Sunday morning with your worship? Next time you are worshipping in church, make a joyful noise and sing loudly with a smile on your face because you know who He is and how much He loves you!
Focus on God’s Qualities
The second thankfulness mindset tip is to focus on God’s qualities.
1. Steadfast Love
The Hebrew word, Hesed is God’s lovingkindness towards us. In this verse, it speaks to how long His love extends – everlasting!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
This phrase “his steadfast love endures forever” is said several times throughout the Psalms. When something is repeated, it is for emphasis, and we need to pay attention. This exemplifies how God has been loving us in many ways over the years! Thanks be to God, for His love that is steadfast!
2. Our Strength & Shield
When we are weak, ill, or weary, God is the one who gives us strength to continue on. Or when the enemy’s attach is fierce and the battle is rising, God protects us from the fiery darts and keeps us standing.
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.
Psalm 28:7 ESV
When the fierce battle is raging, we can reach out to Him, give Him our trust and we can praise Him with our thanks!
3. Wonderful Deeds
We need to count all His wonderful blessings and things that He has done for us. In my email to the GPGS/CM community last week, I talked about the hymn, “Count your Blessings” and how we need to name them one by one. When we count our blessings, we realize how much God has done for us and that leads us to being more thankful and content with where we are right now. Whether the day is a good one or a bad one, taking time to list off the many ways God has been faithful and provided for you allows the clouds of despair to disappear and you have a better outlook on your day and life.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 9:1 ESV
Thankfulness Mindset Gives Sacrificially
A third thankfulness mindset tip is give sacrificially.
When we have a thankfulness mindset, we give sacrificially. We know how God has blessed us and out of that blessing, we give offerings that are sacrificial in nature. Giving sacrificially isn’t about giving your normal tithes and offerings to God. This is about giving above and beyond to those in need – in your church body, the neighborhood, and needs around the world.
With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
Psalm 54:6 ESV
I have found that when we give sacrificially, God provides over and above our needs. For that, we are thankful and praise His name.
Thankfulness for the Now and Then
Another thankfulness mindset tip is being thankful for where we’ve been and where we are now in Christ is another thankfulness mindset tip. When we look back at what God has done in our lives, we can be thankful for what He saved us from. That is the THEN of our lives. We are no longer slaves to that sin.
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
Romans 6:17 ESV
When we know what God has conquered in our lives from before, we are thankful for the NOW. He gave us the grace we don’t deserve to repent and come to Him through Jesus Christ. And in Jesus, we have that victory over sin! Praise the Lord!
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 1:4 ESV
But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV
Thankfulness for All People
Who are we to be thankful for? Just those we love and care for us? No. We are told by Jesus to bless those who hurt us (Luke 6:28). That includes being thankful for them. That is a hard thankfulness pill to swallow when others have intentionally hurt or abused us. Why does He say this? Because, when we don’t forgive others, we rob ourselves of the peace and contentment that God desires for us.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV
We need to pray for ALL of these people. The family members, politicians, or leaders over us, who are making unwise choices, even if they hurt us, are the ones we are to forgive and be thankful for. Recently, I heard a person on a podcast say that we should ask God to bless these people. God is the one who will bless them or repay them according to their deeds. God is the judge – not us. In 2 Timothy, Paul told Timothy about a person who had harmed him and that “God will repay him according to his deeds” (2 Timothy 4:14).
I know that when I have been thankful for these people and prayed for them, it leads me to God, the cross, and how I am so thankful for what He has done for me. This has given me contentment in the situation that I had faced and I don’t need to recount the person’s evil intent towards me. It will only rob me of the peace that God desires for me.
A Thankfulness Mindset – Always
And when are we to be thankful? Always and for everything. That is Paul’s remider to us.
giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:20 ESV
Being thankful all the time is hard when we do it in our own strength. This can be accomplished when we look to God and focus on His Name, thank Him for the wonderful deeds that He has done for us, be thankful for how He saved us, and are thankful for all people.
