Always Giving Thanks - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

Bible in a Year : Psalms 13-15, Acts 19:21-41

Be very careful, then, how you live . . . . always giving thanks to God.
Ephesians 5:15, 20

Today's Scripture & Insight : Ephesians 5:15-20

A fifty-ton, female humpback whale swam into a web of cra lines off the coast of California, trapping her in a tangled mess. Hundreds of feet of line and hundreds of pounds of traps wrapped around her body as she struggled to stay afloat. Four divers came to her rescue, swimming under her belly. For an hour, they cut rope—dangerous work since one flap of her tail could have killed them. After they freed her, rather than immediately escaping, she swam to and gently nudged each diver. “It felt to me like she was thanking us,” one rescuer said.

Whether or not whales are able to express gratitude, being thankful is truly an important part of being human. It’s vital for our life with God. Many of us thank Him for larger blessings (the birth of a child or healing from a disease). However, Paul tells us to offer gratitude for every gift we receive, for every bit of goodness we encounter. We’re to be “always giving thanks to God,” the apostle writes (Ephesians 5:20). Not sometimes. Not only for exceptional moments. Always. And to make sure he’s made his point, Paul adds a bit more. “[Make] the most of every opportunity” and give thanks “for everything,” he says (vv. 16, 20).

Genuine gratitude is more than an occasional word we offer; it’s the posture of our lives. Gratitude turns us to God over and over again, always giving thanks in celebration.

By: Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray
What gifts can you thank God for today? How can you move toward a posture of gratitude?

Dear God, please help me to live a life of gratitude to You.