Are you grateful for what you have or are you mainly a complainer?

I regularly hear from poor, and often hungry, people in Africa. Their situations and problems remind me how grateful those of us in Western cultures should be for at least the physical blessings we have.

Do you give thanks to God? Does the Bible actually say to do that?

Does the Bible say anything about people who are not thankful?

Should you be giving thanks to God? For what?

What are some of the fruits of not being thankful?

This article will address those subjects and more. (Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Ingratitude and Giving Thanks.)

Unthankfulness was prophesied.

Thanks and praise must be important to God. And God must think it is important for us to know.

The Bible Hymnal has the following hymn based on Psalm 105:

O GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE THE ETERNAL!
O give thanks and praise the Eternal, Call upon His sacred name;
Let His deeds be known among nations; Sing to Him, sing songs of praise.
Tell of all His marvelous wonders, Glory in His most holy name!
Let the hearts of those rejoice, Who seek God and fear His name;
Worship Him forever and ever; Never forget His wonderful works!
O remember all of His judgments, All His deeds and wonders great;
O remember, children of Isr’el, He made you His chosen ones!
He is our God now and forever! The Eternal, great is His name!
Over all He reigns supreme, All His judgments fill the earth.
God of Abrah’m, Isaac and Jacob, Glory to Him, Sing praise to His name!
The Eternal’s word is forever; He confirmed His covenant;
For a thousand generations, To His people Israel.
For He gave to them a possession, For an everlasting domain;
As their portion evermore, Canaan’s land He gave to them.
God of Abrah’m, Isaac and Jacob, Glory to Him, Sing praise to His name!

Yet, the Bible teaches that in the last days, people will be selfish and unthankful:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Notice that God does not want His people to associate much with the selfish who are unthankful. God wants His people to have gratitude, not ingratitude.

Unthankful people are often unhappy, and often unloving.

Oddly, people seem to think that complaining makes them happy. Many are selfish and seem to think that complaining is better for them than giving thanks.

Some seem to complain because they are Christian! Yet, God expects His people to be joyous:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

People who are joyous and longsuffering tend to be thankful.

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to suggest this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

Love God: Be Thankful
God is love. God loves you, Should you love God? Should you be thankful? Thankful for what? Is it “good” to give thanks to God? What is His plan for humans? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and goes over scriptures related to being thankful.

Here is a link to the sermon: Love God: Be Thankful.

The New King James Version of the Bible has the word ‘thank’ 25 times, ‘thanks’ 75 times, ‘thankful’ 3 times, and ‘thanksgiving’ 32 times. It also has the word ‘praise’ 237 times and ‘praises’ 11 times.

Thanks and praise must be important to God. And God must think it is important for us to know.

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

Ingratitude and Giving Thanks
Are you thankful? Does the Bible teach that you are supposed to be? What did Dibar Apartian write was ‘the most common sin’? What does the Bible say about thanks and praise? Is ingratitude warned against? Is unthankfulness prophesied? Can the thankful commit the unpardonable sin? What should you be thankful for? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Ingratitude and Giving Thanks.

Related Items:

Love God: Be Thankful

Ingratitude and Giving Thanks

The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son

The Bible Hymnal

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

Sermons related to the free online book above:

The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!

The World's False Gospel

The Kingdom of God is the Solution

The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments