Our lives can get overwhelming, daunting, and challenging. We can quickly get discouraged, frustrated, and burned out by circumstances or relationships beyond our control. In those seasons where we feel hopeless and helpless, the best thing we can do is turn away from the challenges and toward the love of God. Saying a thanksgiving prayer is how we make a change in our heart and mind. When we remember that God is in control and our lives are not our own, we remember we have a Savior who gives us strength when we are weak and comforts us in all our times of need.
When we pause to count our blessings, there's no better way to express our gratitude than through a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving. These prayers do more than just list the good things in our lives; they connect us deeply with God, allowing us to reflect on His abundant generosity.
"Thank You, God" Prayer
Thank you, God, for the life you have blessed me with. Thank you for the opportunities that I have been given and for the strength to make the most of them. Thank you for guiding me through difficult times and for giving me the courage to face whatever comes my way. Most of all, thank you for your unconditional love and support, which has seen me through every challenge and kept me going. You are an ever-present source of comfort and hope, and I am deeply grateful for all that you have done for me.
To help you in thanking God, we created a 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide HERE. Download and print this guide to keep with you as a reminder of God's love and promises.
We love and serve a good, gracious Father, and we are undeserving of the love, grace, and mercy he so freely lavishes on us. What else could we do but give him endless thanks and praise in return?
We hope and pray that the following verses, prayers, videos, and resources help you find countless ways to say "thank you" to the Lord of all heaven and earth, the God who knows and cherishes our hearts. He has given us so much to be grateful for every season-- life, salvation, loved ones, tiny blessings in our busy days, kind words from strangers, sunshine... the list goes on.
Here are a few ways you can offer up prayers of thanksgiving and say "Thank you, God" today:
A Prayer for Gratitude
Dear God,
Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are Able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy!
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
A Simple Prayer of Thanks
Lord, thank you for the abundant blessings in my life. You have given me more than I ever dreamed possible and I am so grateful. You've placed caring people around me who consistently support and watch over me. I am blessed daily by family and friends through their kindness and loving deeds. Thank you for all these gifts. I don't take any of them for granted.
For Strength in Weakness
Heavenly Father, thank You for being our strength when we are weak. Thank you for your promises that speak love and peace into our lives every day. Help me to trust your Word and claim it to be truth! Please help us to wait on Your perfectly timed plans, fully surrendering our lives to Your leading. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Thank You for Loving Me
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and always seeing me. I’m so grateful I am not invisible to You. You call me the apple of Your eye, the crown of creation, friend and beloved. I will echo Leah and declare that, “I will praise the LORD.” You are worthy of all praise, blessing, honor and glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Arlene Pellicane)
A Prayer of Thankfulness for Times of Struggle
God, Sometimes life gets me down and I find it hard to see things to be thankful for. Open my eyes to see the gifts you’ve given me in my life. I’m going to start by thanking you for loving me enough to come to earth and die so we can live together forever. Amen. (Wendy Van Eyck)
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thess. 5:18
Choosing Gratitude
God, we thank You for who You are and all You have done for us. We praise You when life is hard. We praise You when life is happy. We choose to thank You in all that’s in-between. You alone deserve to receive glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Holley Gerth)
Thank You Father
Heavenly Father, thank You. Thank You for being everything to me and for me. You are faithful! You are concerned with everything that concerns me. I am grateful for Your Holy Spirit that comforts me during times of fear and doubt. Thank You for everything that You’ve done for me; seen and unseen. I will praise Your name, forever! In Jesus’ name, Amen. (Maria Drayton)
A Prayer for a Truly Thankful Heart
Lord, teach me to offer you a heart of thanksgiving and praise in all my daily experiences of life. Teach me to be joyful always, to pray continually and to give thanks in all my circumstances. I accept them as Your will for my life (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). I long to bring pleasure to Your heart daily. Break the power of the enemy in my life. Defeat Him through my sacrifice of praise. Change my outlook and attitude into one of joyful contentment with my present circumstances. I thank You for… [Name a difficult circumstance in your life presently and thank God for it.]
Jesus, I want to be like You who obeyed the Father without complaint. You embraced the chains of humanity when You walked this earth. Convict me whenever I complain or compare myself with others. Give me Your attitude of humility and thankful acceptance. I want to be like the Apostle Paul who learned contentment in every circumstance. I choose to continually offer You a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that give praise to Your name (Hebrews 13:15). I long to bring a smile to Your face. Teach me the power of a thankful heart. I know that Your truth dwells in a thankful heart.
“I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens” (Psalm 7:17-18:1). In Jesus’ name, amen. - by Debbie Przybylski
Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything thy goodness sends.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank You for Heavenly Guidance
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your unfailing guidance and the wisdom You bestow upon us daily. As we navigate the complexities of life, we are grateful for the clarity and discernment You provide in our decision-making. Your light illuminates our paths and Your truths steer us toward righteousness.
In moments of uncertainty, Your wisdom is a beacon that guides us through. We are thankful not only for the support You give but also for the challenges that refine us, teaching us to rely more fully on Your grace. Help us to keep our hearts open to Your guidance and to trust in Your eternal wisdom, which surpasses all understanding.
Grant us the courage to make decisions that align with Your will, and the peace to accept the paths You lay before us. We are grateful for Your hand in our lives, gently guiding us toward our purpose and strengthening us for the journey ahead.
In Your holy name, we give thanks. Amen.
A Prayer for the Simple Things
Thank you, God, for all your blessings to me and my family; for the strength you give me each day and for all the people around me who make life more meaningful. Amen.
Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your Son and Your Spirit, given to me. Thank You for the provision of shelter and food I have today. And Lord, thank You for this reminder to become more mindful of my blessings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Rachel Olsen)
Thank you For Peace
Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about my life. Thank You that I can talk to You about everything. I have lots of concerns so I’m bringing each one to You. Thank You for promising to give me Your peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Sheila Walsh)
A Prayer of Thanks For Children
God, thank You for this day! Thank You for the birds and the animals, the flowers and the trees, the lakes and the streams, and the sun that rises and sets over them each day. Thank You for creating everything we see! Thank You for the life we live, and for making each person different. Thank You for Jesus, who died for us so that we can go to heaven one day just for believing in Him. What an amazing God You are! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Meg Bucher)
A Powerful Morning Prayer of Thanksgiving
Heavenly Father, As I awake to the new light of this day, I come before You with a heart brimming with gratitude. Thank You for the gift of this fresh morning, for the quiet beauty that surrounds me and for the breath that fills my lungs. Each moment is a testament to Your endless mercy and love.
Thank You for the restful sleep that has renewed my spirit, and for the opportunities that lie ahead. Help me to recognize them as blessings and challenges meant to strengthen my character and deepen my faith.
Lord, as I step into this day, let my words reflect Your wisdom and my actions Your grace. Guide my decisions, and fill me with Your peace and joy. May I walk in kindness and truth, knowing that You are with me in every moment.
Thank You for the protection and provision You continuously offer. I am grateful not only for my physical needs being met but also for the unseen ways You work in my life. As I move through today, let my spirit be a vessel of Your love, sharing it generously with all I encounter.
In the name of Jesus, I give thanks for this new day. Amen.
Bible Verses of Thanks to God
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." Col. 2:7
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Col. 3:15
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Col. 4:2
"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
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phil 4:6
“O Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” Ps. 95:1-3
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Ps. 100:4-5
"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever." Ps. 118:29
"I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Ps. 9:1
"I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High." Ps. 7:17
This content was adapted from "The Power of Gratitude: 21 Verses of Thanks to God" by Debbie McDaniel. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Halfpoint
Our 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Challenge
Want to take this "thank you" prayer journey to the next level? Download our free 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Challenge guide here!
For the next 30 days, let’s break the cycle and challenge ourselves to purposefully set aside time to show our gratitude for all our Father has done and will do in our lives. Each day you’ll pray a specific prayer of gratitude. Some days there will also be an opportunity for you to read a related article, or watch a short video. Other days you’ll be encouraged to journal or write down your thoughts about a particular thankfulness related prompt. Every day will also have several verses for you to think about or pray over.
You can start this prayer challenge any day of the month, but it might be easier to start at the beginning of the month, just to keep track of the days. It’s okay if you miss a day or two- life happens! If you do miss a day, you don’t need to go back or start over. Just pick up with the corresponding day and, if you have time, you can go back to the days you’ve missed. You might want to bookmark this page to make it easier to come back to each day.
Share your Prayers of Thanksgiving on Crosswalk Forums! Click HERE.
main image photo credit: ©Getty Images/Zinkevych