Responding to God's Goodness with Gratitude and Trust
Responding to God's Goodness with Gratitude and Trust
The biblical concept of responding to God's goodness with gratitude and trust is deeply rooted in the scriptures. The author of Hebrews exhorts believers to "be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe" since they are receiving an unshakable kingdom [2]. This call to gratitude is echoed throughout the Bible, with numerous passages emphasizing the importance of thanking God for His goodness and mercy.
The Psalms, in particular, are replete with expressions of gratitude to God for His goodness. Psalm 136:1 commands, "O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" [5]. This refrain is repeated throughout the psalm, highlighting God's enduring mercy and goodness towards His people. Similarly, Psalm 107:8 exhorts, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" [3].
The goodness of God is a central theme in the biblical narrative. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, God's goodness is "a perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations" [4]. This goodness is manifest in various ways, including benevolence, mercy, pity, compassion, and long-suffering patience.
In response to God's goodness, believers are called to offer thanks and trust in Him. The apostle Paul sets an example by expressing gratitude to God for the faith of the Thessalonians, saying, "How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence?" (1 Thessalonians 3:9) [1]. Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul commands believers to "give thanks in everything" [7, 9].
The early church fathers also emphasized the importance of gratitude and trust in response to God's goodness. John Chrysostom, an Eastern Orthodox father, notes that rendering thanks to God "maketh the soul pure from envy and grudging, and draweth God in a greater measure towards the loving spirit of them that so render thanks" [6].
The Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, as represented by Adam Clarke, interprets 1 Thessalonians 5:18 as a call to be "always happy;... ever be in the spirit of prayer; and... profit by every occurrence in life, and be continually grateful and obedient" [7]. This emphasis on gratitude and obedience is echoed in the Baptist/Reformed tradition, where John Gill notes that thanks are to be given to God "for all things,... for temporal good things;... for spiritual blessings,... and for a good hope of eternal life" [9].
The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry, views gratitude as a fundamental aspect of the Christian life. Henry notes that believers are "never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as to give thanks; for it is the will of God that we should abound most in the most pleasant exercises of religion" [8].
Sources
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 3:9 (BSB) — How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence?”
- Hebrews “Hebrews 12:28 (BSB) — Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Praise — God is worthy of -- 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of -- Re 5:12. God is glorified by -- Ps 22:23; 50:23. Offered to Christ -- Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ -- Heb 13:15. Is due to God on account of His majesty. -- Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14. His glory. -- Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency. -- Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness. -- 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom. -- Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power. -- Ps 21:13. His goodness. -- Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy. -- 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136:1-26. His loving-k”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 136:1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,.... In himself, and to all his creatures; and especially to his chosen people, who therefore should give thanks to him daily in the name of Christ, for all blessings temporal and spiritual, in faith and fervency, and in the sincerity of their souls, with their whole heart; for his mercy endureth for ever; it is the same with his love, which is from everlasting to everlasting; and continues notwithstanding the sins of his people, the hidings of his face from them, and his chastisements of them; the covenant which is found”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: 343 Homily II. Rom. I. 8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” An exordium worthy of this blessed spirit, and able to teach all men to offer unto God the firstlings of their good deeds and words, and to render thanks not only for their own, but also for others’ well-doings: which also maketh the soul pure from envy and grudging, and draweth God in a greater measure towards the loving spirit of them that so render thanks. Wherefore also elsewhere he says, “Blessed be God and ”
- 1 Thessalonians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 5:18: In every thing give thanks - For this reason, that all things work together for good to them that love God; therefore, every occurrence may be a subject of gratitude and thankfulness. While ye live to God, prosperity and adversity will be equally helpful to you. For this is the will of God - That ye should be always happy; that ye should ever be in the spirit of prayer; and that ye should profit by every occurrence in life, and be continually grateful and obedient; for gratitude and obedience are inseparably connected.”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 136:1: The duty we are here again and again called to is to give thanks, to offer the sacrifice of praise continually, not the fruits of our ground or cattle, but the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb 13:15. We are never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as to give thanks; for it is the will of God that we should abound most in the most pleasant exercises of religion, in that which is the work of heaven. Now here observe, 1. Whom we must give thanks to - to him that we receive all good from, to the Lord, Jehovah, Israel's God (Psa 136:1), the G”
- 1 Thessalonians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Thessalonians 5:17: In everything give thanks,.... That is, to God the Father, in the name of Christ; see Eph 5:20 thanks are to be given to him for all things, as the Ethiopic version renders it; for all temporal good things; for our beings, the preservation of them; for food and raiment, and all the mercies of life; for the means of grace, the word and ordinances, and the ministers of the Gospel; for spiritual blessings, for electing, redeeming, regenerating, adopting, pardoning, justifying, and persevering grace: for a meetness for heaven, a right unto it, and a good hope of ”