The Gratitude Effect: How Thankfulness Transforms Your Faith and Life

In our fast-paced world, where stress, comparison, and constant distractions pull us in every direction, gratitude often takes a back seat. But what if thankfulness is the missing link to a vibrant and unshakable faith? In a recent women’s midweek service, Dao Enfantino delivered a heartfelt message that challenged us to rediscover the power of gratitude not just as a feeling, but as a transformative force in our spiritual lives.

Dao began her message by sharing a sobering analogy: If someone you loved went missing, how urgent would your response be? You’d likely do everything in your power searching, sharing online, posting flyers to bring them back. But when it comes to the spiritually lost, many of us lack the same energy or drive. Why? Because, as Dao points out, the issue often comes down to what we value. And value, at its core, is driven by gratitude.

Gratitude Reveals What We Truly Value

Gratitude is not just an emotion; it's a mirror reflecting what we prioritize in life. If we truly valued our time with God, wouldn't we protect and pursue it with the same energy we give to other parts of our lives? Dao vulnerably shared her own struggles with consistency in her spiritual practices after having children. She noticed that while she remained disciplined in other areas like working out she wasn’t making the same effort for her time with God. That inconsistency revealed a sobering truth: she simply didn’t care enough.

That realization hit her hard, and it might hit you too. We often don’t associate lack of spiritual discipline with lack of care. But when we fail to prioritize God, when we skip quiet time, prayer, or outreach, our actions are saying what our words won’t: we don’t value Him enough. Gratitude, then, becomes the antidote. It realigns our hearts, reminds us of what matters, and fuels our pursuit of God. It’s the spark that turns passive faith into passionate devotion.

 Watch the full message on YouTube here

Gratitude Saves Us

Dao turned to the story of Jonah to illustrate how gratitude can literally change our direction. Jonah ran from God’s calling, but it wasn’t until he found himself in the belly of a fish that his heart changed. From the depths of despair, Jonah remembered God and lifted a prayer of grateful praise. His gratitude didn’t come after his salvation it came before it. Gratitude was the turning point.

In the same way, when we find ourselves overwhelmed, apathetic, or spiritually dry, gratitude becomes the lifeline. It doesn’t ignore our pain or struggles, but it shifts our focus from what we lack to who God is. Gratitude moves us to repentance, softens our hearts, and invites God back into the center of our lives.

Dao challenged the women to write out 20 things they’re grateful for right now. The point wasn’t just to make a list. It was to recognize that God is always working, always blessing, even when we fail to notice. The air we breathe, our families, our health, our safety, our spiritual community none of it is promised, and all of it is a gift.

Gratitude Changes You

Dao’s second point explored how gratitude doesn’t just save us it changes us. She referenced the powerful conversion of Saul in Acts 9. Saul went from a persecutor of Christians to Paul, one of the greatest church planters in history. What fueled that radical change? A deep understanding of how much grace he had received.

Paul knew who he had been, and he never forgot it. He carried that memory not as a burden, but as a source of relentless gratitude. That thankfulness drove his mission. As he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.”

How about you? Do you remember who you were before Jesus? Is your heart still in awe of the grace you’ve received? Or have comfort and familiarity dulled your gratitude?

Dao shared how easy it is to take blessings for granted. Living in a safe country, surrounded by a loving community, being married to a supportive partner, raising children in a protected environment these are not small things. Yet, without intentional gratitude, they can become background noise. We start to focus on what we don’t have instead of celebrating what we do.

Gratitude is the reset button. It takes us back to day one the moment we said “Jesus is Lord and reminds us why we chose Him in the first place. It reignites our passion, strengthens our devotion, and reawakens our sense of purpose.

The Real Impact of a Thankful Heart

A grateful heart is a powerful witness. When we live with visible thankfulness, we shine in a world that’s often cynical, anxious, and self-absorbed. Gratitude makes us more patient, more compassionate, more willing to serve. It draws others in and points them to the source of our joy.

Dao closed her message with a passage from 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, where Paul writes that Christ’s love compels us to live for Him. That’s the key. Gratitude isn’t about feeling good it’s about being compelled by love. A love so deep and so undeserved that it changes how we live, how we love, and how we lead others to Christ.

Challenge for the Week

Take some time to write your own gratitude list. Aim for 20 things God has done for you, big or small. Reflect on each one. Let your heart be moved again. Then, share that gratitude. Post it online. Tell a friend. Pray it aloud. Let it fuel your devotion and shape your actions this week.

Remember, gratitude is not passive. It’s active, intentional, and transformative. It’s how we reclaim our faith, revive our purpose, and refresh our love for God.

Join Us This FridayWe’d love to see you in person. Come be part of a vibrant and welcoming community. Join us every Friday at 6 PM on the 3rd floor of the K Hotel in Bahrain. Let’s grow together in gratitude, faith, and love.