Gratitude is a fundamental theological lesson in every religion. Teachings about gratitude can be found in all belief systems—even in those that claim to have no god within their framework. For Christians, gratitude is also a common element found in worship, counseling, and daily interactions. It has become almost a template—something easily expressed, whether as advice to others or as a prayer of thanks to God. Yet, not all forms of gratitude are mature.
One form of immature gratitude is opportunistic gratitude. Opportunism is an attitude, mindset, or action driven by self-interest or the interests of a group. Opportunistic people do everything for their own benefit. In the context of gratitude, opportunistic gratitude is thankfulness expressed only when one receives something good or beneficial. In other words, such a person gives thanks only for good things.
Of course, on one hand, it must be admitted that good things naturally lead us to give thanks. There is nothing wrong with expressing gratitude for blessings received—successful business, harmonious family life, restored endeavors, financial improvement, and good health are all things worth being thankful for. Giving thanks for these does not automatically make someone opportunistic. These experiences are indeed joyful, so it is natural to respond with gratitude. Again, there is nothing wrong with giving thanks for such things.
However, the problem arises when gratitude is offered only for those things. When it becomes difficult to give thanks amid business struggles, family tensions, fluctuating finances, or declining health, something may be amiss in our understanding of gratitude. If gratitude wanes in unpleasant circumstances, we may realize that our gratitude has been opportunistic—emerging only when life is going well.
Thankfully, opportunistic gratitude can be recognized and transformed. Through hardship and adversity, our motives are refined. We come to know ourselves more deeply, and more importantly, we discern the true motive behind our gratitude toward God. Perhaps we have found it easy (and indeed it is easy) to thank God for good things, yet challenging to recognize His blessings in the midst of struggle and discomfort. But we agree that God blesses us not only through good things, but also through the difficult ones. The good brings joy; the difficult brings lessons. Both are blessings that deserve our sincere gratitude.
We can learn from Job. He did not give thanks only for the blessings he had before his downfall; even in his poverty and suffering, he declared that what he experienced was part of the same “package” as the good (Job 2:10). He refused to thank God only for good things. For him, receiving the good also meant being willing to accept the bad. Though Job was not perfect throughout his story, his words can inspire us to avoid opportunistic gratitude. God indeed wants us to experience His goodness—but we must not equate God’s goodness with constantly favorable circumstances. God’s goodness may also appear in a grim disguise, yet it brings profound maturity when we gain understanding through every trial.