There is no denying that the best way to start your day is by starting your day with a Grateful Heart! For me, when I awake every morning, I intentionally start my day with a grateful heart.
I believe what you cultivate in the morning will influence how you feel and think during the rest of your day. If you start your day with a grateful heart, the rest of your day will be blessed. We need to develop a mindset that always looks for God’s grace.
It is essential to start your mornings right because it impacts how the rest of your day will go.
As believers, God commanded the blessings upon our lives. So, we get to reap the spiritual harvest of practicing gratitude. Thankfully, we have the Word of God to help us, though!
When you wake every morning, make sure the first thing you are doing is thanking God for his consistent love and recalling all the way that he is good to you.
Sometimes it feels like our lives are rushed and overwhelmingly busy. Even before your day has started, you have already rushed through the day. However, the ‘busyness’ of life often makes it hard to appreciate those blessings.
While you may be endlessly thankful for your life, it is hard to feel and express gratitude and be grateful when you have things to clean, helping with homework, meals to prepare, places to be, and an endless to-do list to complete.
So how can you effectively say “thank you” for blessings, even as the distractions of life fill up your time?
Starting each day with a grateful heart makes you aware of all the wonderful things that God has already done for you and are already at your disposal. As you enjoy your blessings, you should take time to appreciate all you have without taking it for granted.
When do I wake up every morning, I thank God for the new day? The key to a grateful heart is not to lose sight of the opportunities that are always available to us, it is that we have a God who is worthy of all the glory, and who makes all things new.
Do you start each day with a grateful heart? How does it make a difference in your life?
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
God never stops working in you. As Isaiah 43:19 says, He is always doing new things. That is why having a grateful heart is so important.
Walk into this new season with a fresh perspective and a renewed relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Declare His presence and allow Him to provide you with insight.
We can learn to start each day with a grateful heart, and appreciate the very gift of life, through Christ Jesus. This is the value of maintaining and practicing daily a grateful heart.
Seek His face, and He will empower you to live out your purpose. The best is yet to come!
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What Does the Bible Say About a Grateful Heart?
The apostle Paul tells us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We are called to give thanks not just in the good circumstances, but in all circumstances.
Gratitude is an attitude and response of thankfulness to the kindness of God and others. When we realize every good thing, we have in life is a result of God’s goodness and kindness, we should naturally become thankful.
Gratitude is a true response when we realize that God owes us nothing, but we owe Him everything.
Remember the story in Luke 17:11-19, when Jesus came across ten lepers. They cried to him for mercy, and Jesus sent them to the priests. The Bible said, as they went on their way, they realized they were healed.
Their leprosy was gone. They were free. Only one of the men turned back to find Jesus, fell at his, and gave thanks and praise.
Jesus was grateful for his faith and his gratitude, but he also noted that the other nine had not returned to say thanks. Our God loves it when we have a grateful heart.
A grateful heart and a voice lifted to God in thanks gets the attention of heaven. Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, but it is meant to be a lifestyle.
The lepers cried out for mercy. Mercy is not something deserved. It is God’s gracious gift. Thank God that he does not give us what we deserve. He gives us mercy and grace instead.
Gratitude comes when we understand how much God has given us and how much he has done for us, and how little we deserve it all.
David was a man after God’s own heart – a praiser and worshipper of God. He appointed specific Levites whose job it was to praise and thank the Lord all the time.
Thankfully, in Christ we can come to him with a grateful heart, not only as our God but also as our Father. And by his grace, he has invited us, called us, to come and to worship him.
1 Chronicles 16:4 KJV says that “he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel.”
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.” Psalms 92:1-2 KJV
“I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Psalms 69:30 KJV
“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” Psalms 95:2 KJV
“O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.” Psalms 105:1 KJV
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.” Psalms 100:4 KJV
Why Is It Important to Start Your Day with A Grateful Heart?
Thanksgiving is a natural part of our walk with God. As believers, it is good to give thanks with a grateful heart and acknowledged that God is the source of our life, and our grateful heart glorifies God because He is the giver of life.
Having a grateful heart helps us realize all we have comes not because of what we have done, or how good we have been, but from what Jesus did for us over 2,000 years ago.
How do you start your day will set the tone for the rest of your day? So many people hit the snooze button when the alarm clock goes off, and when they finally get up, they are already rushed, tried, and stressed out thinking about what they have to do throughout the day.
Do not start your day with a list of I want requests. Start it by giving glory to God for His goodness, mercy, and grace.
Lamentations 3:22 reminds us that “it is only because of the mercies of the Lord that we are sustained, His great faithfulness.” Psalm 35:27 says “Let them shout for joy and be glad…let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
As we have much to be thankful for, this should stir in us an attitude of having a grateful heart.
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Psalm 105:1-3
A grateful heart is a heart of peace. “Be anxious for nothing but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God” – Philippians 4:6.
A grateful heart recognizes that what you have comes from God, and that He is the one that showers you with blessings.
How do you begin your day? Are you starting off by giving thanks to God with a grateful heart? How about before you leave your home and drive out to work?
If you woke up this morning, that is one great reason to give thanks. Always have an attitude of gratitude. Begin your day by giving God his first ten percent. And make a commitment to always give thanks with a grateful heart.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:4, NIV
Related: https://oneexceptionallife.com/heart-of-gratitude/
When you Live with a grateful heart it means that you find appreciation in everything around you. You look around you, and you see the blessings of the Lord over taking you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Why Is Gratitude So Powerful?
Paul the apostle wrote the words, “In everything give thanks.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
How could he be thankful in everything, in imprisonments, in beatings, in, really, all kinds of adversity that most people would find tragic and unbearable?
It is because Paul trusted God to take care of him in the very best way (Romans 8:28) while he himself sought “those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1.
Gratitude was so powerful in Paul’s life, and in ours, because it helps you focus on what you have been blessed with. Being thankful helps me step out of the way, thanking God for all things, not relying on my own self-centered strength, but acknowledge every good blessing that comes from God.
Gratitude forces you to remember to thank God for the good things, in your life, big and small? With the busyness of daily schedules, and the hustle and bustle of daily life, sometimes we allow our daily activities to block out the details of the day, forgetting that each and every day holds precious gifts, there is always something to be thankful for.
Gratitude is a powerful means of drawing closer to God. The Bible talks a lot about gratitude. Paul says we should be:
“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20, NIV)
It is good to thank God for what God has given you, but God does actually require our gratitude. Paul tells us to:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4, NIV)
Taking the time to recognize what God has done and expressing our gratitude is important to developing our relationship with Him.
Gratitude makes us take notice of what God has given us. When we think about what we should be grateful for, our eyes are opened to the generosity of God. We realize how much we are given. We see how much we owe God.
And it is not just about the big stuff. When we train our hearts to look for God’s grace, we see it in the small things as well.
As we grow in gratitude, we learn to be thankful not only for the small things, but for everything in our lives, including the trials and sufferings.
Paul reinforces the importance of this when in his letter to the Philippians he says:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. “(Philippians 4:6, NIV)
When we do face trials, we need to approach God with a sense of gratitude when we ask Him for help. Being thankful in all situations helps us develop our trust in God and helps us to be humble.
That is why the Bible talks so much about thankfulness. It is one of the most powerful feelings God has given us the capacity to experience. Gratitude gives us greater joy and meaning and enhancing our spiritual lives.
Even as I write this post, I am so thankful to God just for being surrounded in His presence.
We should show our gratitude to God because He asks us to, but also out of a desire to be happy. Grateful people are not only the most spiritually healthy but very often the happiest.
WHAT DOES BEING GRATEFUL MEAN?
The word gratitude can have a number of different meanings depending on how you use it and in what context.
A Grateful Heart is a heart of love. A person with a grateful heart is a person who has cultivated a heart of thankfulness. It has become a grateful heart because it has realized there is much to be grateful for despite of life’s trials and challenges. Out of a grateful heart, flows the love of God.
Despite all the challenges a person has experienced in life, you realized that living gratefully and appreciatively is very precious. I have learned that cultivating a grateful heart is a choice and it requires our intentional effort in achieving it.
Paul urges us on behalf of Christ to “give thanks in all circumstances” (I Thessalonians 5:18). As difficult as that may sound, there is a good reason why God encourages us to embrace gratitude. Gratitude is grounded in the truth that our Lord “is good” and “his love endures forever” (Psalm 118:1). He is present with us and strengthens us in the midst of trouble, and He lovingly uses our trials to grow our character into His likeness.
Each and every day we have so much to be grateful for. Through the difficult times and hardships, God is still good to us. But sometimes, constant life demands, struggles, and worries give more room to defeat than to a heart of thanksgiving. Or we forget, in the midst of busyness and pressures to pause and give thanks, for all that God has done, and continues to do in our lives.
God’s Word is filled with many reminders of how powerful and vital a grateful heart can be. If we take a moment and take an inventory of our blessings, I call it thinking on them, we will gain a new appreciation for how well we live, no matter our circumstances.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1
What Are the Characteristics of a Grateful Heart?
The characteristic of a grateful heart is a heart full of gratitude for the things that God has done and continues to do in and through your life. It is the difference between a negative and positive attitude.
It is also the only way that God can use our lives as a living testimony of His love, kindness, mercy, and grace. It is, in my opinion, the ONLY way to live. It pleases God when we are thankful to Him because He is our Father.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
{1 Thessalonians 5:18}
- It draws us near to God
- A grateful heart is focused on God, and not on self
- The grateful heart is content. “Be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 13:5)
- The grateful heart remains focused on what it already has rather than looking for fulfillment in other places
- It leaves no room for complaining Paul said in Philippians 2:14 that we are to do all things without grumbling or complaining. It is impossible to be thankful to God and ungratefulness at the same time
- It reminds us of who is in control Having a grateful heart keeps you humble. It makes us dependent on God.
How Do I Start My Day with a Grateful Heart?
Deciding to start your day with a grateful heart is a decision. What a wonderful way to start your day, by starting it with a grateful heart. When I think of how good God is to me, my morning starts off with a grateful heart.
Whatever you start your day with, you will end it with that. Starting your day with Jesus, you will end your day with Jesus. I usually start my day with the following:
Through Prayer
Praying plays an important part in showing God our appreciation for everything that He does for us. He waits for us to sincerely express our gratitude for even the smallest things in our lives.
Everything that we have – from the food we eat to the car we drive and home we live in – is because God has provided it to us. Many of these things that we call necessities or the basics of life we take for granted every day. It is important to remember that God supplies our every need, and we must thank Him for that.
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Reading the Bible
Reading the Bible can inspire you to be grateful, as God’s word is a powerful reminder. We find the words of Psalm 100:4-5 particularly useful as it calls us to:
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.”
If you struggle with anxiety, which can affect your ability to feel gratitude, you might also draw comfort from Philippians 4:6-7:
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Repentance
The fact that we are even given a chance to repent by a loving God is something to be thankful for. Repentance is a powerful way to show God our gratitude. It also cleanses of us of our sins and makes us worthy in God’s eyes to receive His blessings.
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)
Obeying Him
God gives us everything and He wants us to obey Him. If we love Him and are grateful for all He does for us, how can we not want to obey Him? Not only that, He knows what is best for us and will provide everything we need, so really, what do we have to lose by obeying Him? Nothing… BUT we have everything to gain. So, obedience is an awesome way to show our heavenly Father that we are grateful for all He does.
Jesus replied “Anyone who loves Me will obey my teaching.
My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)
Humble Yourself Before Him
To have a grateful heart, one must be humble. Living with humility is a perfect way to show gratitude to God because it shows Him that we have faith in Him and that no matter what happens, we are acknowledging His authority over all situations. Through humility, we submit ourselves to everything that God places in our lives, the good and the bad.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10)
Be grateful to others
When we are grateful to others who do things for us, we in turn, are showing gratitude to God. Never forget that many times, God places people in our lives to help us and we should always show gratitude for whatever it is that they do for us.
It is so easy to say thank you or to return a favor or to acknowledge the goodness of others. Also, it can brighten someone’s day and yours, too!
“May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.” (2 Samuel 2:6)
As Christians, there are many ways we can practice gratitude daily that do not include overhauling our entire schedules or adding more stress into our lives.
For example, when doing a mundane task like making tea, you could make a habit to identify two things you are grateful for today.
You can also cultivate gratitude by creating an environment of thanks in your home or office. For example, you could make a collage of the things you are grateful for, put a sticky note on your fridge reminding you of your blessings, or carry a gratitude journal in your bag.
There is a song I love to sing, and it comes from
The song begins with “Give thanks with a grateful heart.” As I began singing, I started reflecting about what having a grateful heart really means.
Starting each day grateful for my life, my family, my love, and my health should be my focus every day.
It is a blessing to start your morning being thankful — being alive.
Gratitude is one of the most direct ways to commune with God first thing in the morning, and the essence of who you are.
When we start your day off giving thanks for our lives and for the beauty in the world around us, we set the tone for the day in a powerful way.
I love to start my day by giving thanks before I even get out of bed. When I open my eyes and see the sunshine spilling through my window, it is second nature to feel an incredible sense of awe and gratitude for the beauty before me.
How we practice gratitude is personal, and the great news is there is no right or wrong way. Just let it flow in. You will know you are feeling a deep sense of gratitude when your heart is full, and all feels well in your world. We can be grateful for people, things, places, and ourselves too! There is no end. The important part is the beginning – and that is to start each day recognizing and giving thanks for the gift that it is to be alive.
What about you, what are you grateful for today?
One of the things that are a must-do in my morning practice is gratefulness. I write down 3-4 things for which I am grateful. I try to add why and give it a little more depth (especially if I really want to remember the experience later) BUT I do not always. Sometimes I write one to three words only.
10- Start Each Day with a Grateful Heart Bible Verse
Cultivating a grateful heart is not always an easy task. Life is hard. Thankfully, we have the Word of God to help us, though! Today, I have created ten of my favorite Bible verses for the grateful heart.
1. The Faithful Love of The Lord Never Ends! His Mercies Never Cease. Great Is His Faithfulness; His Mercies Begin Afresh Each Morning. -Lamentations 3:23-24 (NLT)
2. 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. -Colossians 3:15-17(ESV)
3. See That No One Repays Anyone Evil for Evil, But Always Seek to Do Good To One Another And to Everyone. Rejoice Always, Pray Without Ceasing, Give Thanks in All Circumstances; For This Is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for You. -1 Thessalonians 5:15-18(ESV
4. 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. This Is Good, And It Is Pleasing in The Sight of God Our Savior, Who Desires All People to Be Saved and To Come to The Knowledge of The Truth. -1 Timothy 2:1-4(ESV)
5. Count It All Joy, My Brothers, When You Meet Trials of Various Kinds, For You Know That the Testing of Your Faith Produces Steadfastness. And Let Steadfastness Have Its Full Effect, That You May Be Perfect and Complete, Lacking in Nothing. -James 1:2-4(ESV)
6. So Do not Be Misled, My Dear Brothers and Sisters. Whatever Is Good and Perfect Is a Gift Coming Down to Us from God Our Father, Who Created All the Lights in The Heavens. He Never Changes or Casts a Shifting Shadow. -James 1:16-17 (NLT)
7. Give Thanks to The Lord, For He Is Good! His Faithful Love Endures Forever. -Psalm 107:1 (NLT)
8. I Will Praise You, Lord, With All My Heart; I Will Tell of All the Marvelous Things You Have Done. -Psalm 9:1 (NLT)
9. Bless the Lord, O My Soul, And All That Is Within Me, Bless His Holy Name! Bless The Lord, O My Soul, And Forget Not All His Benefits, Who Forgives All Your Iniquity, Who Heals All Your Diseases, Who Redeems Your Life from The Pit, Who Crowns You with Steadfast Love and Mercy, Who Satisfies You with Good So That Your Youth Is Renewed Like the Eagles. -Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV)
10. Let Your Roots Grow Down into Him, And Let Your Lives Be Built on Him. Then Your Faith Will Grow Strong in The Truth You Were Taught, And You Will Overflow with Thankfulness. -Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
God always does the unexpected as we follow Him. What you are thankful for does not have to be meaningful to anyone else!
MAKE IT HAPPEN: Something to think about:
- Do you have a gratitude practice? Do you write it down?
- How would your morning and your day be different if you started with gratitude?
- What would starting with positivity mean to you?
- Do you have trouble writing things down? Why do you think this is? Really ponder this.
- Why is it important for you to have a list of things that are important to you?
ACTION PLAN:
Every morning write down at least one thing for which you are grateful. Do your best to not list repeat the same things within a week. If you want to really get crazy- write why. BUT at this time, we want to keep it simple and doable! List out what you are grateful for. It does not have to be a concrete or tangible thing- it can be a feeling or experience. You get to decide.
There are times when things are going well, and we can clearly see the path God has for us and then over time, doubt, and fears creep in and we wonder where we are going and if God is really in control. Our perspective gets cloudy and without changing our lens and fixing our eyes on Him then we continue down a path of uncertainty.
Start Each Day with A Grateful Heart Quote
“Today, I choose to live with gratitude for the love that fills my heart, the peace that rests within my spirit, and the voice of hope that says all things are possible.”— Anonymous
- “It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness.” — Anonymous
- “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.”— Cicero
- “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.”— Deepak Chopra
- “Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”— Voltaire
- “An attitude of gratitude brings great things.”— Yogi Bhajan
- “Gratitude; my cup overfloweth.”— Anonymous
- “I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet.”— Confucius
- “I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet.”— Confucius
- “Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows, and the more power you have to use it on your behalf. If you do not
- practice gratefulness, its benefaction will go unnoticed, and your capacity to draw on its gifts will be diminished. To be grateful is to find blessings in everything. This is the most powerful attitude to adopt, for there are blessings in everything.”— Alan Cohe
- “Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.”— Leroy Satchel Paige
- “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”— Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”— David Steindl-Rast
- “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” — David Steindl-Rast
- “We can choose to be grateful no matter what.”— Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- “Entitlement is such a cancer because it is void of gratitude.”— Adam Smith
Start Each Day with A Grateful Heart Prayer
Father, in the Name of Jesus,
Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever ask, think, or imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me.
You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused on you and make my spirit soar.
Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe, and in perfect peace. Thank you for hedging me up with protection. When life is difficult, you are there to help me make wise decisions. You speak to me in so many ways so that I always know you are here.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your presence that’s all around me. You are constantly there encouraging me. And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved.
I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.
I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.
Thank you for the finish work. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
Free Printable
I pray that you enjoyed “Start Each Day with A Grateful Heart”. Here you will find a free printable that you can download by clicking on the highlighted link.
You are welcome to use this printable and print as many copies as you desire.
Have a Wonderful Day! Enjoy!
