The Bible offers a wealth of stories and characters that can teach children about the importance of gratitude. By sharing these true Bible stories of gratitude from people who learned to trust God, we can help our children develop into more compassionate and thankful individuals.
Sometimes we all “got to kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.” (Bruce Cockburn)
Gratitude is one powerful way to kick at the darkness.
- Gratitude has the power to help us move past anxiety.
- Remembering our blessings helps our kids move from entitled to grateful.
- Practicing gratitude helps our kids become more generous people.
- Making a gratitude list can help bring peace.
Because gratitude is such a powerful practice, I’d like to take you and your children on a journey through ten amazing Bible stories of gratitude. Taken together, they demonstrate the power of gratitude in unusual times and places, as well as how gratitude can strengthen our trust in God.
1. Miriam’s war cry of gratitude and praise
After God led the Israelites safely through the Red Sea and saved them from those who would re-ensalve them, Miriam led the Israelites in a song of thanks to God.
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
I will sing to the Lord,
Exodus 15:1 NIV
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.
2. Hannah’s story of gratitude and sacrifice
Hannah was barren for many years. She cried out to God in the tabernacle and He answered her prayers for a child. Then, when little Samuel was weaned, she gave him up to be raised in the tabernacle, in the presence of God. Her gratitude was so great that she was willing to give up the child she trusted God for.
I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:27-28 NIV
3. David’s story of gratitude when surrounded by enemies
David was on the run from King Saul, and fled to his enemies, the Philistines. Unsurprisingly (since there was a song about David killing ten thousand Philistines), they chucked him in prison. While he was there, he wrote Psalm 56, in which he praises God for keeping him from death. I guess the message here is…it could always be worse! There’s always something to be grateful for, even if it’s just the air in our lungs.
I am under vows to you, my God;
Psalm 56:12-13 NIV
I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God in the light of life.
(📘 Want to explore David’s life beyond this single Bible story of gratitude? USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT DAVID!)
4. Daniel’s illegal prayer of gratitude
Daniel knew it was against the law to pray to anyone but the king, but he still chose to bend his knee to the One True God. This led to him being thrown into a pit of starving lions, but he didn’t die! His trust in God’s protection grew when he was pulled out of that pit without a scratch on him.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel 6:10 NIV
(Want to read through the book of Daniel in a fun way? Check out this resource!)
5. Jonah’s fishy prayer of gratitude
Jonah tried to run from God’s plan for him, which landed him in the belly of a fish. While still in there (without knowing he’d soon be vomited out), Jonah gave thanks to God. Of course, it might not be so hard to be grateful when you’ve been saved from certain drowning by a large-mouthed fish, but we’ll give it to him this time.
Those who cling to worthless idols
Jonah 2:8-9 NIV
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’
6. Mary’s Song of Praise
Mary’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy had just been announced by an angel, and she fled to her cousin’s home to verify what the angel had said about Elizabeth’s child. Mary had yet to be accepted by Joseph or even to meet the baby, but she praised God anyway. Her song of praise shows an incredibly deep level of trust in God’s good plans.
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
Luke 1:46-49 NIV
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.
7. Jesus gave thanks in the midst of grief (and before the miracle)
Jesus had just heard that his cousin John had been beheaded, so he withdrew to a quiet place to grieve. The crowds followed and, after being taught and healed, needed food. As the passage below shows, Jesus gave thanks BEFORE he broke the loaves and used them to feed a giant crowd. As Jesus shows us, gratitude isn’t just the result of a miracle, but might be an important heart-posture before a miracle too.
And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 14:19 NIV
8. Jesus gave thanks before raising the dead
Jesus was mourning his friend, but he took time to thank God for hearing him. Similar to the stories of gratitude above, Jesus knows that there’s always something to be grateful for when we know we have a God who hears us.
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
John 11:41-44 NIV
9. 10% of lepers gave thanks
Jesus came across ten lepers, who asked him to heal them. He told them to show themselves to the priests, and they were healed along the way. Only one came back to say “thank you”.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:15-16 NIV
10. Paul gave thanks in the storm
Paul was being taken to a Roman jail by ship. After spending two weeks trapped in a storm, the sailors gave up hope. Paul, however gave an encouraging speech, gave thanks to God, and urged everyone to eat. Like so many other stories of gratitude in the Bible, this one shows that we can give thanks even in the middle of the storms of life. With God, it’s even possible to be grateful when starving, sea-sick, and nearly shipwrecked.
After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
Acts 27:35-36 NIV
The Bible offers a wealth of stories and characters that can teach children about the importance of gratitude. By sharing these true Bible stories of gratitude from people who learned to trust God, we can help our children develop into more compassionate and thankful individuals.
(And, if you would like more practical tips on how to develop gratitude in your kids, check out this article!)
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