Friends are like anchors in the sea. They are a gift from God that reminds us of His grace and love. Are you thankful for your friends?
Be thankful for those close enough to put up with your nosiness and those you can rely on to provide a quick laugh or a word of encouragement when you most need it.
These Bible verses about being thankful for friends will help you remember to keep in mind how wonderful friends are and how much you ought to be thankful for them.
Bible Verses About Being Thankful for Friends
These Bible verses about being thankful for friends can aid us in remembering how much better our lives are when kind people surround us.
Ephesians 1:16 – Always pray Thanksgiving to God for your friend.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
Ephesians 1:16 ESV
Paul has been an example for us in our lives as Christians. His prayers for the Church have been without an end, including the blessing of Thanksgiving.
While making personal prayers, always pray Thanksgiving for your friend (health, provision, peace, etc.) And this should be with continuity. Amen.
Proverbs 13:20 – Watch out for the company you keep
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
The company of fools shall be destroyed, but he that walks with the wise shall be wise. Worthy of note, companies you own can help or kill you.
The company you keep, are they such that they labor for each other in the prayer of Thanksgiving, or does anything go? Watch out for the company you keep, for growth depends on it.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Friends stand up for others
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)
The essence of friendship with others is to bear one another’s burden. Our verse instruct never to assume you don’t need people around you because no one may stand in for you in the days of your problem.
Friends stand in for others when they are weak, giving thanks to God for their life; by so doing, they lift them out of their low state of life.
Proverbs 27:17 – A good friend can sharpen his friend better.
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)
You need good friends, and you need to be a good friend to others too. If iron can sharpen another iron, then a good friend can make his friend better.
Are you a good friend? If yes, how often do you thank God for their life and existence? You can start now if that has not been your attitude towards your friends in prayer.
Proverbs 27:10 – Do not forsake your friend
Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
Proverbs 27:10(ESV)
A committed and virtuous friend is much better than the natural relationship of a family. A groomed friendship based on truth, wisdom, and prayers ( that of Thanksgiving to God for one another) will surpass the expected help of
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
A true brother is born for adversity, always ready to help in times of need. But a true friend, no matter what happens, never fails.
A friend that loves at all times is a friend that never fails and stays firm no matter the challenges.
John 15:12-13 – Love and care for your friends
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:12-13(ESV)
Jesus commands us to love others just as he has loved us. What does this imply? It means taking care of others as we will take care of ourselves. “As I have loved you,” he expects us to show the measure of love he demonstrates to others.
“Greater love has no man than this that a friend lay down his life for his friends.” This does not mean physical death but sacrifice.
They are depriving your self sleep to pray for a friend, praising God for the blessings he brought their way, setting out time to fast for them, and praising God because storms around them are giving way for their rising. Hallelujah!
Philippians 4:8 – Do what is honorable for your friends
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Paul encourages believers to continue doing and walk in the things worthy of praise so long as such things are pure, right, of good report, and excellent.
Do you find praying and giving thanks to others honorable, of good report, and an excellent thing to do? If yes, then continue with it.
Proverbs 16:28 – Be thankful for the friend who is neither dishonest nor a gossip
A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
Proverbs 16:28 (ESV)
Stop backbiting your friends and speaking evil about them, even if you have such an attitude because you are sowing the seeds of strife and separation. Instead, be one who is always thankful to God for your friends.
Ephesians 5:20 – Give thanks always, especially for the lives of your friends
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:20 ESV
This verse encourages us to always “give thanks for everything to God” this means to give thanks for the food you don’t have, for the clothes you have or don’t have. We are called to give thanks to the people around us, and this includes the friends we have in our lives. Be thankful to God for bringing them into your life.
Romans 12:10 – Have brotherly love.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10 (ESV)
Paul concludes his exhortation, charging Christians to love one another with brotherly love and to outdo others by honoring them above themselves.
Paul here describes what it means to live a self-sacrificing life. Love is a devotion to others as people born into God’s family. So let it be with the genuineness of heart.
Psalm 133:1- Dwell in unity
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Psalm 133:1 (ESV)
Our verse focuses on unity and the Joy that comes from it. Believers are urged to stay by others giving thanks to each other As friends, strive to dwell by your friends because seeking personal interest can cause disunity among believers.
Bible Verses About Gratitude for Friends
In life, friends are a blessing. One of the most extraordinary things you can do daily is to be grateful for your friends because we can always count on them to be there for us.
Here are Bible passages on gratitude that will help you understand what it means to be grateful for friends from various angles.
Philippians 1:3 – Remember people
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
Philippians 1:3 ESV
in this passage, Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians thanking God for reminding him of his friends. We are called to a life of constant thankfulness. In this way, we show gratitude for all things he has done. We should be grateful to God for remembering our friends
1 Corinthians 1:4 – Give thanks to God for people
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 1:4 ESV
Our verse shows us what we should show gratitude for on behalf of our friends. And that is the grace (salvation) they have received from God through Jesus Christ.
We should never only give thanks to God for the physical need supplied and neglect to give him thanks for the grace that has come to us through Jesus.
James 1:17 – A perfect gift is a good person.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17 ESV
Why should we thank God for our friends when they are blessed? It is because every good gift and every blessing comes from him.
Show gratitude to God when your friend is blessed.
1 Thessalonians 1:2 – Remember people in your prayers
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
1 Thessalonians 1:2 ESV
Pray always for your friends in gratitude to God. Intentionally mention them before God calls them by their names.
Paul prayed for believers and the Church consistently with Thanksgiving. He asked specifically for God’s strength and empowerment on their behalf.
Dear friend, you too can be another Paul to your friends.
Colossians 3:15 – Let peace rule.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15 ESV
The prayer in our verse is that Christ’s Peace will rule the heart of his children, for which we have been called in fellowship as one in him.
It went on to encourage us to be thankful. We are to be grateful to God for those he has brought us together with.
Psalm 115:14-15 – You are blessed.
May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
Psalm 115:14-15 ESV
The sincere prayer of a friend for his friend(s) is that they will receive an increase from the Lord, even in their family at large.
A good friend prays for his friends to be blessed and shows gratitude to God when such blessings come.
Psalm 69:30 – Magnify the Lord
I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30 ESV
David magnified God with Thanksgiving and praised his name with the new song. This act may result from the blessing God has given or to a friend.
How often do you sing a new song and magnify God for your friend? Make that a lifestyle today.
Psalm 118:24 – Rejoice always
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 ESV
The lesson from our verse is that we should show gratitude to God for each day, rejoice and be happy in it.
Do not just thank Him for your own life; also, thank Him for the life of your friends and the people around you. Be happy for their existence.
Psalm 106:1- Love endures
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 106:1 ESV
Thank God for his steadfast love, which endures forever; thank him for his goodness.
In your time of prayer, always start with the blessing of Thanksgiving to God for his love and goodness. Do that for yourself, your family, and the people you relate to. In doing so, you honor God, and he will be pleased with you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Pray under all situations
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
The will of God concerning you is not that you should experience hardship, not at all. But his will is that amidst the trouble we face; we should be happy, pray and give thanks to him.
When your friends encounter challenges and are in trouble, encourage them to be happy, pray for them, and thank God on their behalf.
Proverbs 18:24 – A good friend is better than an evil brother
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 ESV
Is our verse saying we should not have or be around people? No, it is not. Looking at the statement, having people who can’t add value to you will bring you to ruin.
But there is a friend that can much more than a million friends. Such a friend can stand with you in challenges, encourage you and pray for you—I desire to become such a friend today.
Conclusion
There is a lot to be grateful for, and having friends is one of those things. Being thankful for friends inspires you to value and strive harder to maintain friendships. These verses from the Bible should help you and your friends become closer.
