As we approach Thanksgiving, it's the perfect time to reflect on the biblical foundation of gratitude. Gratitude isn't just an emotion; it's a mindset—one that is developed over time, through practice, and often in spite of hardship. Just like love, gratitude requires intentionality, and for many of us, it doesn’t come naturally. In fact, it often feels counter to our human nature, especially when life gets hard.

The Reality: The Struggle to Live by God’s Standards

From the moment sin entered the world, everything that was once natural and easy became a challenge. Things like tithing, compassion, and even gratitude don’t come easily. We live in a world that tells us we should always want more, never settle, and focus on what we don’t have. But when we choose to live according to God’s standards, even gratitude becomes a tool for growth, peace, and joy.

Gratitude, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, isn’t just being thankful for what we have; it’s about “affording pleasure or contentment.” It's the idea that by putting in the effort to change our mindset, we can begin to live in a way that yields joy and satisfaction. But this kind of gratitude requires work, and it’s not always easy.

Biblical Gratitude: A Practice, Not Just an Emotion

Biblical gratitude goes beyond simply feeling thankful—it is a practice of actively remembering and expressing the grace and goodness that God has shown us. We see this beautifully in the life of Noah, a man who experienced incredible trials, yet still found it within himself to express gratitude to God.

Noah's Example: Gratitude After the Storm

Noah, his wife, and his family spent an entire year on a boat, confined with animals, separated from the world as they knew it. If anyone had reason to complain, it would have been Noah. It’s hard enough to make it through a Sunday without arguing about something trivial, let alone living in a confined space with a family and a bunch of animals for a year!

Yet, when Noah stepped off the ark, the first thing he did was set up an altar and offer a sacrifice to God—expressing his gratitude for bringing him through the flood. It’s worth asking: How often do we do the same after a difficult journey? Do we take the time to reflect and thank God for what we’ve learned and for the strength He gave us to persevere?

It’s also important to note that Noah’s act of sacrifice wasn’t just an afterthought—it was revolutionary. In Noah’s time, people sacrificed to gods to appease their anger or to seek favor. But Noah’s sacrifice was one of thanksgiving. His act of gratitude went against the cultural norms of his day, just as the act of truly being thankful often goes against the grain of our modern, entitlement-driven culture. Gratitude is a choice, one that can stand in stark contrast to the world around us.

God’s Response to Gratitude

The most profound part of Noah’s story is how God responded to his gratitude. In Genesis 8:21-22, after Noah’s sacrifice, God made a promise to never again curse the earth because of mankind.

God responded to Noah’s attitude of gratitude with grace and blessing. This teaches us an important lesson: Our gratitude moves God. When we cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, we position ourselves to receive God’s blessings instead of focusing on the negative or cursing our circumstances.

When Noah expressed gratitude, he was essentially saying, “I trust You, God, for what You’ve done, and I trust You for what You will do.” This positioned him for further blessings, including a fruitful farm and a new beginning for the earth and its inhabitants.

But, as the story goes, Noah’s own struggles with sin didn’t end after the flood. His gratitude led to blessings, but he misused those blessings and fell into sin again. This teaches us that gratitude alone doesn’t prevent us from struggling with our sinful nature. We still have to choose to live faithfully, but the foundation of gratitude creates a position of blessing, even amid our imperfections.

The Foreshadowing of Christ: Eucharist and True Thanksgiving

While Noah’s offering temporarily staved off God's anger, it didn’t completely undo the effects of sin. The flood didn’t cure the brokenness of humanity—it pointed to a greater need for a Savior. Noah’s act of thanksgiving foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice that would bring true peace between God and man: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks (the Greek word is eucharistia, meaning "thanksgiving"), and broke it, offering it as His body. Even though He knew He was about to endure the suffering of the cross, Jesus gave thanks. His act of thanksgiving wasn’t for the suffering itself, but for the redemption that His sacrifice would bring.

As Christians, we are called to embrace the attitude of gratitude, even in the midst of suffering. Suffering is a reality of life, but we can choose how we respond to it. We can either focus on our pain, or we can choose to see the blessings and give thanks, knowing that Jesus bore our sins and gave us the gift of life over death.

A Challenge: Embrace the Attitude of Gratitude

This Thanksgiving season, I challenge you to do more than just post on social media about what you’re thankful for. Take time each day to contemplate what you are grateful for. Not just the big things, but the small, everyday blessings that God has given you.

What can you thank God for today? Even when the world tells us to focus on what's wrong or what's lacking, choose to shift your perspective. Focus on what is good, what is blessed, and what God has provided. Shift your mindset from entitlement to gratitude. This isn’t a superficial, "fake it till you make it" kind of gratitude. It’s a deep, genuine thankfulness that stems from acknowledging God’s goodness in both the good times and the bad.

Remember, even when suffering feels overwhelming, you can choose to see beyond it. The attitude of gratitude doesn’t deny the reality of pain, but it helps you see the light even in the darkness.

So, in this season of thanksgiving, let's follow Noah's example: Set up an altar of gratitude, thank God for what He’s done in your life, and position yourself to receive His blessings. Even in the struggles, let's remember the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who gave us life—and let's choose gratitude over complaint.

Conclusion

Gratitude is a powerful mindset that not only pleases God, but also transforms our own hearts and minds. It’s a choice that positions us to receive God’s blessings and allows us to see His goodness, even when life is hard. As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s intentionally reflect on what we are truly thankful for, and embrace the attitude of gratitude—not just for the blessings we can see, but for the blessings we can trust God will bring, even in the middle of our struggles.

This Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks, not just for the abundance we have, but for the One who has given us life, redemption, and a future with Him. "Give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), for gratitude changes not only our perspective, but also our destiny.