Is There A Difference Between Thankfulness And Gratitude?

Every year Churches across the USA are filled with sermons about being thankful, especially around the day of Thanksgiving - and rightfully so.

"Let us come into his presence with THANKSGIVING; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!" (Psalm 95:2 ESV – emphasis mine)

The Hebrew word translated as "thanksgiving" is 'todah' and refers to raising hands in adoration to God during worship songs who wants us to thank Him in worship and praise continually.

"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:5-7 ESV - emphasis mine)

"...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:14b-17 ESV – emphasis mine)

The Greek word for "thanksgiving" is 'eucharistia,' and for "thankful' is 'eucharisos.' In context, they both mean to be actively gracious and grateful as an act of worship to God. God implores us constantly to be thankful.

Gratefulness

It is clearly pleasing to God when we are thankful and show it through worship and praise, not just through song, but in everything we do. However, there is a more profound element to thankfulness that will positively affect us and those around us, as it permeates everything we think, do, and say.

"Therefore let us be GRATEFUL for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV – emphasis mine)

The Greek word translated as "grateful" is 'charis' and means the act of giving thanks to God with deep gratitude. It comes from the Greek word 'chairo,' which means "to joy, rejoice, be glad." God wants us to be grateful as a way of life.

Ingratitude has been a human condition that started with Adam and Eve. Neither of them thanked God for His creation. The families of Isaac and Jacob fought over God's blessing rather than thanking Him for it. Israel repeatedly complained rather than thanking God for delivering them and giving them food that supernaturally fell from Heaven.

Thank offerings were initiated because of rampant ingratitude within the people of Israel. The offering was a peace or fellowship offering within the Mosaic covenant intended to express gratitude to the Lord for any deliverance and any act of love (Leviticus 7:11-16; Psalm 107:21-22). The law was based upon gratitude for God's redeeming work. King David appointed Levites to thank God morning and evening in the temple (1 Chronicles 23:30, also 16:4,7-8,34-35,41).

Throughout the book of Psalms, the people were invited to sing songs of thanksgiving as acts of love and worship to glorify God. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good" is a common exhortation (Psalm 69:30; 95:2; 100:4; 106:1; 118:1; 136:1; 147:7).

In the New Testament, thanksgiving is a motive for living a life of holiness before God, and the underlying attitude towards both blessings and the trials of life, and the central element of all prayer (Matthew 11:25;15:36; 26:27; Mark 8:6; 14:23; Luke 10:21; 22:17,19; John 6:11,23; 11:41; Acts 27:35).

In the book of Revelation, the four living creatures "give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne" (Revelation 4:9); twenty-four elders worship him for he has taken his great power and begun to reign (Revelation 11:17). All the heavenly hosts give thanks to God for His redeeming blood used to purchase those who received Jesus as Lord and Savior (Revelation 5:9-14).

The Born-Again Christian is admonished "in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present their requests to God" (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV). We should be thankful for all things and live daily with gratitude in all circumstances, including suffering, for His saving grace that permeates every element of our life and to offer our bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness (Romans 5:3-5, 6:13, 12:1; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Hebrews 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; James 1:1-4; Col 1:12, 3:17). It is thanklessness and ingratitude that distinguishes the godless and wicked people who suppress the truth about God's goodness (Romans 1:18-21; 2 Timothy 3:2)

Gratitude and thankfulness are synonymous with faith and love. They are the natural response to God's goodness and gifts of grace. God is glorified through the thanksgiving of His people. When we infuse everything we do with gratitude and thanksgiving, it becomes an act of worship (Colossians 3:17).