10 Family Prayers for Thanksgiving: Simple Ways to Give Thanks Together

1. Prayer for Family

Our families are so important. These are the people we do life with every day, the people we get excited to visit once or twice a year. Family units can comprise various family members in all capacities: parents and children, grandparents raising grandkids, cousins living together, etc.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my family. I'm so grateful that I get to walk through life with them. Even though we have days when we don't get along or have issues, I wouldn't know what to do without them. Please watch over us over the coming year. In your name. Amen.

You can add specifics about family members if you wish. (Ex: Thank you for my brother Scott, who always makes me laugh or thank you for my cousin Julie, who is always there for me.)

2. Prayer for Friends

Where would we be in life without our friends? Friends make our lives more fun and worthwhile. They help us when we need it, encourage us, celebrate with us, and give us tough love when we need it. They keep us accountable in our walk with Christ and call us out when we need it—not harshly but lovingly by speaking the truth in love. Many of us have friends near and far, and we should be grateful for all of them.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my friends, both near and far away. I'm so glad you brought them into my life and that we have so much fun together. Thank you for bringing various people into my life who serve all kinds of purposes, from speaking the truth in love to holding me accountable to friends I just have fun with. I'm also thankful for my friends who live far away, that I get to visit once in a while. You have blessed me with so many great people, and I pray I am as good a friend to them as they are to me. Amen.

(You can also add specifics to this prayer as well.)

3. Prayer for Pets

Our pets are not just animals; they are part of the family. They give us unconditional love, make us laugh, and are fantastic companions. I'm thankful every day for my cat, Cupcake. I don't know what I would do without her. The Lord has entrusted us with his creatures (our fur babies) to take the best care of them we can. This is an enormous responsibility, and we should be thankful to have it.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my (cat/dog/etc). I am truly grateful for the trust you have placed in me to take care of him/her, and I will do everything in my power to uphold that responsibility. It's impossible for me to imagine my life without (name) because I love him/her/them so much. I ask that you keep your hand on them and that they remain happy and healthy in my care. In your name, I pray. Amen.

It's impossible for me to imagine my life without (name) because I love them so much.

4. Prayer for School

Where would our kids be without our amazing school staff? Everyone from the teachers to the school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, guidance counselors, janitors, and principals. We should be thankful for all they do every day for our kids.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the amazing staff at my kids' school. They have the best teachers who spend time making sure they are grasping the concepts they are teaching. Thank you for the school bus drivers who safely get them to school and back home. Please watch over them for the rest of the school year. I thank you for the cafeteria workers that make breakfast and lunch for them and for the janitorial staff that keeps our school neat and clean. Thank you also for the guidance counselors who are there for our kids and can sometimes find out what's going on when we can't. And for the principal and office staff that help everything run smoothly. Please watch over our school this year and keep everyone under your watchful eye. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Photo credit: Mche Lee/Unsplash

5. Prayer for Jobs

Our workplaces can be volatile landscapes with layoffs, demanding bosses, and both great and difficult coworkers. Still, we should be thankful for our jobs and those we work with daily, no matter how fantastic or difficult.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for blessing me with a job to help take care of my family. I know there are good days and bad days. I may grumble sometimes, but I am thankful to be working amid all that goes on around me. Thank you for my bosses and coworkers, even those that are difficult. I pray you will guide me and help me discern your voice in decisions I need to make. Help me be the best employee I can, and when needed, remind me that I'm supposed to do my job as if I'm working for you and not my boss.

6. Gratitude for Freedom

We are fortunate to live in a country where we still have the freedom to worship as we please and live the lives we want to live.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the freedoms that we have. We are so thankful that we can go to church and worship you and build the lives we want for our families and our children. We pray for our country, our leadership, and our servicemen and women that fight to keep this country free. Amen.

7. Thankful for God's Protection

It is by God's grace that we get to and from all the places we need to go every day. He protects us financially, from poor relationships, and from various other things.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your protection over us this year. We are grateful that you watch out for us as we go about our days, our finances, our interactions with other people (including protecting us from people), and other things as we go through our lives. I pray you will keep all of us in the palm of your hand and continue looking out for us. In your name, I pray. Amen.

8. Being Content with What We Have

We live in a society where keeping up with the Joneses is the norm. It seems like everyone has to have the latest and greatest of everything. What's worse is they go into debt to impress who? God teaches us to be content with what we have. In doing so, we will have more peace in our lives. Instead of looking around and noticing what we don't have. Let's focus on being content and thanking God for what we have.

Dear Lord,

In a culture where everyone is worried about what they don't have and how they look to others, we thank you for what we have. We are thankful for our vehicles that run, that we have jobs to support this family, for food on our table and the clothes on our backs. We are thankful for the people in our lives, from our family to our friends. Thank you for our church family, your love and your son who died for our sins. Amen.

9. Being Thankful for God's Provision

Sometimes life throws curveballs at us and we are concerned about how something is going to get done. The car that needs fixed, the medical bill that needs paid, or simply wondering how this month's bills are going to be paid. It's easy to get caught up in the panic and "what if's?" Instead, we need to trust God to provide for us and when he does, thank him for it.

Dear Lord,

We live in uncertain times, and there have been many instances where we are worried about how a bill will be paid or how an emergency will be taken care of. Still, you have always provided for us. We thank you for your provision in our lives and for always coming through. In your name, we pray. Amen.

10. Gratitude for God's Love and Guidance

We should always be thankful for God's love and guidance. He wants the best for us, after all.

Dear Lord,

We thank you for loving us and for always guiding us on our path in life. We ask that you will continue to give us the discernment to hear your voice. As a family, we know you want the best for us; we trust your path for each of our lives. Thank you for leading us to our highest good. In your name, we pray. Amen.

We can be thankful for so many things in our lives. Gather your family, talk about what is most important to you, and incorporate these prayers into your Thanksgiving gathering this year.