“It’s Hard to Shake God’s Hand”: Gratitude to God Motivates Paying Gratitude Forward

Gratitude is often considered a response to kind acts from others, but growing research suggests it is frequently directed toward God. This study explored how gratitude toward God differs from gratitude toward people. Since God is perceived as all-powerful and not directly benefiting from reciprocation, we hypothesized that individuals would focus less on repaying God and more on paying it forward. We tested this through three studies: a cross-sectional survey (Study 1), a daily diary approach (Study 2), and an experimental design (Study 3). Across studies, gratitude toward God was associated with a greater motivation to pay it forward compared to gratitude toward others, such as close relationships or authority figures. This forward-focused gratitude predicted increased intentions for religious commitment (e.g., prayer), character growth, and prosocial behavior. These effects held even after accounting for motivations to repay God or interhuman gratitude, emphasizing the distinct role of gratitude toward God.