Gratitude is a holy practice. If you read the Scripture, you find that when we are ungrateful it is a symptom of being disconnected from our Creator. It’s when we come to the Lord and take time to see his goodness that we are able to live with a grateful heart.
As we approach the holiday season, gratitude can actually be tough. What we more often feel is stress! Too many plans, too much money spent, and too many people to please. But this is not the point of these holy days. Thanksgiving, advent, and Christmas are each a separate invitation to press pause on the hustle and give thanks for God’s provision.
What better way to remind our souls of this sacred call to gratitude than to pause and meditate on God’s word in prayerful reflection. One of the things God mentions to us over and over in the Scriptures is our need for a grateful heart. Our joy, our soul’s wellbeing, and the health of our relationships hinge on our ability to tap into gratitude when life gets tough and see the blessings for what they are when life is beautiful.
As you ready your families and homes for Thanksgiving and beyond, take time to also ready your heart through prayer and meditation.
Here are some verses and prayers to get you started:
1. Give Thanks in All Circumstances
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Father,
I thank you for the reminder that I am called to give thanks no matter how I feel or what I face. This is your will for me that I see and give you praise while in the land of the living. As I complete the many tasks that go along with preparing for the holidays, through your spirit give me eyes to see it all with a lens of thanksgiving and not with a bitter heart. I thank you God that you are with me through every circumstance, and that is why I am always able to give thanks.
Amen.
2. Every Gift Is from Above
“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).
God,
I thank you for your many good gifts in my life. You are the author of life and desire us to live with abundance. What a good God you are! Father, thank you for your provision, for the chance to break bread with others. I thank you that you have a hope and future for me. I can trust in your plans for my life. This year has been full but as I look back, I see your provision at every step of the journey. I thank you and praise you! You are a good God.
Amen.
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3. We Are Part of an Unshakable Kingdom
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).
Jesus,
How wonderful is your name! You have provided for us the one thing that is certain, timeless, and unshakable! Your Kingdom on Heaven and on Earth. May my heart pause in humble reverence for the secure identity I have in you. I don’t have to let the world push and pull me towards chaos, fear, and panic. I can live in peace because I know my home is with you. I am so grateful!
Amen.
4. Give Thanks and Praise Him
“A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 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” (Psalm 100:1-5).
Father,
This holiday season I commit to not only pausing with a grateful heart but also I will praise you. Let me embrace this chance to sing joyfully because I am created in the image of a good God. Let me speak of blessings and not curses. Let me remember your faithfulness as you have been with me through every season. I thank you that I am yours. I humbly ask you to continue to lead me forward. Guide my steps and may my heart be one that seeks passionately after you.
Amen.
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5. This Is God’s Day
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Lord,
This is your day! You have created it so we might experience your creation, your love, and live with wonder at the sight of all you have done. Your ability to craft a world so perfectly put together so life can abound is astonishing. The fact that you are the one that set the days into motion is unbelievable. Let me see you today. Help me to love you and others today. Give me a heart of joyful gratitude for all you have done.
Amen.
6. Give Us Peace and Gratitude
“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).
Jesus,
As we prepare to celebrate in many different ways over the next few months, I ask that you would give me your peace in my heart. Don’t allow pressure to steal my joy. Give me wisdom that allows me to live life at an unhurried pace. Let your presence guide me. Give me a thankful heart.
Amen.
Let God’s word soften your heart and lead you towards a posture of gratitude. He is good to us, ever faithful, and always kind to us his children. Respond to his provision with a heart of thanksgiving this year!
Related Resource: How to Lead Thanksgiving Devotions with Your Family
If the trajectory of our country is going to change, it must begin with our hearts. America’s systemic problem is spiritual in nature; therefore, we must first steward our own hearts and the hearts of our families before speaking about changing the direction of our country; anything less is hypocritical. May God use the following thoughts to aid in crafting a special, constructive day centered on our love for Jesus. Let us give thanks for all He has done for us!
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Drazen Zigic