Gratitude as a Spiritual Practice: How Thankfulness Changes Everything

Discover how gratitude can transform your spiritual life, renew your perspective, and anchor your heart - even in challenging seasons.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100:4–5 (NIV)

Gratitude is more than just good manners. It’s a spiritual rhythm - a way of seeing the world, anchoring our hearts, and aligning our souls with what is true, good, and lasting.

When we practice gratitude, we shift our focus from what we lack to what we’ve been given.

We quiet the inner critic. We resist the pull of comparison. And we begin to notice grace in the small moments, in the ordinary beauty, and even in the places where we’ve been stretched.

Gratitude rewires our perspective.

Scripture calls us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), not because every circumstance is good, but because God is good and He is with us in the circumstance. Gratitude doesn’t deny the hard. It just refuses to let the hard have the final word.

When thankfulness becomes a way of life - not just a November checklist - it changes how we show up:

• In relationships, we become more patient and present.

• In challenges, we become more grounded and resilient.

• In seasons of waiting, we become more hopeful and less hurried.

Gratitude grows joy.

When we pause to acknowledge God's provision - in a warm meal, a needed word, a kind gesture, or a breath of fresh air - joy begins to grow. And not the temporary kind. True joy, rooted in presence and peace.

Gratitude is a spiritual muscle.

It can be strengthened. Developed. Practiced. Especially when we don’t “feel” it.

Try this: Before bed, name three things you're grateful for from the day - even the messy, imperfect ones. Speak them out loud. Write them down. Offer them back to God in prayer. Watch how your spirit begins to shift.

Flourishing Through Gratitude

Friend, you were created to flourish - and one of the ways we flourish in every season is through gratitude. When we live thankful, we live aware. We live open. We live rooted.

And in a world that rushes and consumes, this kind of spiritual posture is revolutionary.

So today, may you slow down. Look around. Breathe in the beauty of this moment. And let gratitude lead you home to joy.

Ready to go deeper?

Let’s walk through the rest of this season and next year together → Subscribe to the blog to receive reflections like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Express gratitude by sharing this devotion on Social with your friends! 

Christian Life Coaching helps women like you gain clarity, grow spiritually, and move forward with confidence and grace. I would love to come alongside you and offer that support. Book HERE for your free, Flourish Discovery Session to discover more.

Editor's Note:

This devotional blog is by Jen Stone-Sexton, Author, Speaker, Teacher, Founder, and Christian Life Coach. Jen has openings for a select number of new clients. Learn more about Jen and what Freedom to Flourish Life Coaching has to offer you.

Jennifer C. Stone-Sexton © 2025 Freedom to Flourish, LLC.

All graphics created by Jen Stone-Sexton © 2025 Freedom to Flourish, LLC.

All Rights Reserved.

---

Credits:

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. www.zondervan.com

Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™