6 Encouraging Prayers for Your Thanksgiving Alone

Jaime Jo Wright Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Updated Nov 14, 2024

There's a lot of loneliness surrounding the holiday season. None more than the Thanksgiving meal, perhaps, when expectations are a warm family dinner, laughter, and togetherness. But in truth, so many of us are looking at either the whole holiday on our own or going home to an empty house that once was filled with the presence of a spouse no longer here with you or children who have left the nest, and maybe even a parent who used to be there but isn't anymore. Or maybe, you're just alone—and you always have been, it seems.

Mary Poppins was so quick to sing about a spoonful of sugar making the medicine go down, but sometimes, the stuff dished up for us this Thanksgiving is harder to swallow than a mere teaspoon of sweetness can assist with.

But have you ever battled loneliness with prayer?

Ephesians 6:17-18 says, "…and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Along with engaging our minds and hearts in the Word, which is Scripture, the apostle Paul also exhorts us to go into battle—life—praying at all times, with perseverance.

How might our prayers be transformed this Thanksgiving when we are alone at home? Can we become effective and draw near those we love and even those we don't know as we enter an attitude of supplication?

Here are some ideas for prayers that might help you get through the loneliness and into a mindset of making a difference this Thanksgiving. A spiritual difference.

1. Prayers for the family.

It's a given, yes, and in many cases, some of the easiest prayers to pray. Offering our gratitude to the Lord for the family He has given us and uplifting loved ones to Him, their needs, spiritual walk, health, and strength. Family can also be very hard to pray for, especially if we don't feel particularly grateful for them. A dysfunctional family can make prayer a mountain to climb. But climb it this holiday season. Pray for the relationships that need to be healed and forgiven. Pray for the ones who have hurt you, wounded you, scarred you. Offer prayers of thanksgiving for your family—listing out the good things—even if they're tiny and seem insignificant in place of the pain they've caused.

2. Prayers for your church family.

The body of Christ needs prayer now more than ever, and your church family is a big part of the body. Take time to offer prayers of gratitude for how the people in your church have helped influence your life. Offer prayers for your pastor/pastors, the worship leaders, the church staff, the elders and trustees, the Sunday School teachers, the youth pastor, and youth leaders, and keep going! Make a difference this Thanksgiving by dropping to your knees for the friends and family within your church.

3. Prayers for your community.

Yes. Your community. The place where you live. Your hometown. It is filled with those who have needs and those who have probably reached out to you in some way or another. Offer prayers of thanksgiving on their behalf. Seek the Lord's wisdom in ways you can support your community in prayer.

When you strategize your prayers of thanksgiving and petitioning, it's easier to pray. It's easier to fill those lonely moments with words and fellowship as the Holy Spirit draws near to you. You are no longer alone; together, you can beseech the Father for all He can and will do on behalf of those you bring before Him.

Not sure what exactly to pray? Here are some prayers you could use to help get your prayer life started this Thanksgiving.

4. A prayer from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"For flowers that bloom about our feet, Father, we thank Thee.

For tender grass so fresh, so sweet, Father, we thank Thee.

For the song of bird and hum of bee, for all things fair we hear or see, Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For blue of stream and blue of sky, Father, we thank Thee.

For pleasant shade of branches high, Father, we thank Thee.

For fragrant air and cooling breeze, for beauty of the blooming trees, Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For this new morning with its light, Father, we thank Thee.

For rest and shelter of the night, Father, we thank Thee.

For health and food, for love and friends, for everything Thy goodness sends, Father in heaven, we thank Thee."

5. Use the words of a hymn, like "Praise to the Lord the Almighty," as words for a prayer of gratitude:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!

Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,

join me in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;

sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!

Have you not seen all that is needful has been sent by his gracious ordaining?

6. Use Scripture as a means and lyrics for your prayers.

Psalm 100 is a fabulous one to start with: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Incorporate prayers of those who have gone before us, like President John F. Kennedy: "Let us therefore proclaim our gratitude to Providence for manifold blessings–let us be humbly thankful for inherited ideals–and let us resolve to share those blessings and those ideals with our fellow human beings throughout the world. On that day let us gather in sanctuaries dedicated to worship and in homes blessed by family affection to express our gratitude for the glorious gifts of God; and let us earnestly and humbly pray that He will continue to guide and sustain us in the great unfinished tasks of achieving peace, justice, and understanding among all men and nations and of ending misery and suffering wherever they exist."

Prayer is an abundant way to fill the quiet moments—the moments of stillness in an otherwise busy holiday season. When you hear the clock ticking, the world outside going to and fro, and yet inside, you're alone and longing for fulfillment.

Don't be afraid to speak prayers already spoken or to utter the words of your soul that aren't eloquent or lyrical but are merely your heart's cry of thanksgiving and petitioning. Fill those moments with the depth of prayer. Fill it with words that reach into Heaven and will change lives this Thanksgiving. Others' lives and your own.

Related:

4 Ways to Survive Thanksgiving Alone

Related Resource: Cultivating Connection Amidst Loneliness

In today's world, characterized by advanced technology and increasing isolation, there's a pressing need to foster real connection. As technology continues to advance, genuine human connections are taking a backseat. However, in Scripture, we find that God recognizes, "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18). As part of God’s unique design, He wired us for meaningful connection where we find strength, love, and support from others.

This week on Jesus Calling, as we celebrate Thanksgiving and a season of connection and gratitude, we have two pastors to help us navigate a season that also can be lonely and disconnected. Author and pastor Levi Lusko sheds light on the growing loneliness crisis in our highly connected world, and Daniel Darling explains the fundamental aspects of healthy relationships, including forgiveness, reconciliation, and trust. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

Jaime Jo Wright is an ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. Her novel “The House on Foster Hill” won the prestigious Christy Award and she continues to publish Gothic thrillers for the inspirational market. Jaime Jo resides in the woods of Wisconsin, lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com and at her podcast madlitmusings.com where she discusses the deeper issues of story and faith with fellow authors.