Every day, we have the opportunity to thank God for blessing our lives. Thanksgiving is when we can reflect on our lives and recognize all the good things we have. We can give thanks for our family and friends, the health we enjoy, and the opportunities we have been given. We can give thanks for the beauty of nature and the peace and joy that comes living in communion with God.
Thank You, Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings in my life. Thank you for the sun that rises each morning and the stars that shine each night. Thank you for the joy of friendship and the comfort of family. Thank you for the beauty of nature and the mysteries of the universe. Thank you for your guidance and protection. Most of all, thank you for never leaving my side, even when I don't know you are there. Have mercy and save me O God. Amen.
Giving thanks to God is not just something we do on Thanksgiving Day. We can thank God every day, in both big and small ways. We can express our gratitude through prayer or by taking time to appreciate the world around us. We can also show our thanks by helping others and spreading kindness. Whatever way you choose, giving thanks is a meaningful way to recognize the blessings in our lives and show our appreciation for them.
Being genuinely thankful requires us to look beyond our current circumstances - whether blessings or struggles - and look to God, our true source of blessings. It's easy to thank God when we can physically see and touch his blessings - food, money, clothes, good health, family...but what happens when feeling thankful is hard? How can we truly live a thankful life?
It may not be Thanksgiving Day, but we can learn from Thanksgiving Day all year long. The pilgrims suffered great hardship and loss, yet they chose to celebrate and thank God, believing they were blessed. There will always be circumstances, events, and news for which we are not thankful.
But, we can always express our gratitude to God through prayer and experience the power that comes from letting go of negativity and opening our eyes to the blessings surrounding us.
"Thank You" Prayers to Praise the Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:18 encourages us to "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." We can thank God for His faithfulness, that He never leaves or forsakes us, and for His promise of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ.
May these prayers inspire you to say "thank you!" and feel gratitude to Jesus Christ for all He has done for us.
Prayer When We Struggle to be Thankful
Lord Jesus, forgive me for not saying “Thank You.” I repent of focusing on the things I don’t have, instead of the blessings You have given me. I want to be like the one who returned to express gratitude. Thank You for saving me, forgiving me, and providing for my daily needs. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Arlene Pellicane)
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.
Prayer for Blessings
Thank you for your great love and blessing over our lives. Thank you that your favor has no end, but it lasts for our entire lifetime. Forgive us for sometimes forgetting that you are intimately acquainted with all of our ways, that you know what concerns us, and you cover us as with a shield.
We ask that we would walk in your blessing and goodness today. That your face would shine on us. That you would open the right doors for our lives and for our loved ones, that you would close the wrong doors and protect us from those we need to walk away from.
Establish the work of our hands and bring to fulfillment all that you have given us to do in these days. We pray that you would make our way purposeful and our footsteps firm out of your goodness and love. Give us a heart of wisdom to hear your voice, and make us strong by your huge favor and grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen. (Debbie McDaniel)
Prayer When Life Brings Challenges
Dear God, thank You for Your countless blessings and the challenges that draw us near to You. Thank You for the challenging moments when You gave me the strength to wait out the storm.
Jesus, You are so good. Whatever storms come into my life, You are my Rock and my Shelter. Thank You for Your sustenance that fills me, Your light that surrounds me, and Your love that never fails. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Wendi Lou Lee)
Prayer for Jesus
Holy and Righteous Father, I thank you for Jesus, who is at your side and knows my heart, struggles, and world. Thank you for your sacrifice, which saved me. Thank you for your sustaining presence in our universe.
Thank you for your daily intercession. Thank you for being God for me at the Father's side. To the glorious, majestic, and holy God, who sent Jesus as Savior, be glory, honor, and adoration forever and ever.
Holy God, how you could stand to see your precious Son under the weight of my sin, all sin, I will never understand. Thank you for such a great love and for being so great a God.
There is none who can be compared to you, O God. Your greatness is beyond imagining and your love beyond my dreams. I will live this day to your glory through him who bore my sin so I could be your child. Amen.
Almighty Lord, thank you for the empty tomb and Jesus' victory over the grave. Just as Jesus' death pardoned my sin, his resurrection assures my future. Thank you for grace and glory. May my life today be lived by the power of the resurrection. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Use this free PDF to commit yourself to prayer: 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide
Prayer for God's Sovereign Control
Father, we praise You for the delicate way You powerfully align our lives to Your creation. Thank You for the waters and mountains that remind us of You. Forgive us for overlooking Your presence in every aspect of our lives, and bless us to notice and give glory to You, for You are our healer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Meg Bucher)
Prayer to Say 'Thank You, Jesus!'
Lord, how can we ever thank You enough? You endured more pain, more shame, more sorrow, more grief than we can possibly fathom. Help us remember why You gave Your life. Because of love. Because of mercy. Because we desperately need them both. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Liz Curtis Higgs)
Prayer for Life's Good and Bad Times
Dear God, I hate to say it, but I have been guilty of grumbling and griping about all my problems and trials. I have failed to be thankful and to remember that You are at work in my life, even through all the troubles.
Please forgive me, God. I want to be a person who keeps my eyes on You and praises You, no matter what may come my way. So, thank you God for these blessings (name them) and these challenges (name them). I know You are in control of all things.
I know You love me and work all things together for my good. I choose to trust You, Lord. Teach me to be a “praiser” who always finds the good... and not a complainer who always finds the bad. In Jesus' name, Amen. (Jeff Schreve)
Prayer for Miracles
Heavenly Father, Thank You for answering my prayers and performing miracles in my life every day. Just the fact that I woke up this morning and can take a breath is a gift from You. Help me to never take my health and loved ones for granted. Help me to always stand in faith and keep my focus on You when unexpected circumstances arise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Leah Dipascal)
Prayer for When Life Isn't Perfect
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)
Prayer for Life Beyond Just the Blessings
Lord, forgive me for focusing more on the negatives in my life than the positives. Thank You for Your blessing of love, grace, mercy, and eternal life. Fill my heart with Your spirit this Thanksgiving and all days so I can be thankful. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Traci Miles)
Prayer for God’s Constant Love
Father, we praise You for Your consistency. Thank You that though we are incapable of being consistently good, loving, and righteous, you are those things for us.. Forgive us for our inconsistency, and bless us, that we may know Your love for us never changes. You are always loving, and for that we give thanks. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Meg Bucher)
Prayer for Abounding Grace
Lord, thank you for your abundant, abounding grace. Thank you that we don't have to earn a drop of the mighty river of grace that flows freely for us today. Thank you for the unexpected, unmerited favor you've showered on my life. Help me put myself in the path of your love and grace.
Help me not neglect the disciplines I need to meet with you regularly and to drink from the water of life. Thank you for your rich love. Amen. (David Mathis)
Prayer for Salvation and Other Blessings
Father, thank you for intervening in my life and allowing me to have a personal relationship with you. Thank you for your love for me today and forever.
Thank you for the blessings you’ve given me and my family. Help us use those blessings to bless others. May I live a life of true joy as I see you at work around me today! In Jesus' name. Amen. (Ron Moore)
Prayer for Release from Pain
We confess our need for you today. We need your healing and your grace. We need hope restored. We need to be reminded that you work on behalf of those you love, constantly, powerfully, completely. Forgive us for trying to fix our situations all on our own. Forgive us for running all different directions and spinning our wheels to find help, when true help and healing must be found first in You.
Forgive us for forgetting how much we need you, above everyone and everything else. We come to you and bring you the places we are hurting. You see where no one else is able to fully see or understand. You know the pain we’ve carried. The burdens. The cares. You know where we need to be set free. We ask for your healing and grace to cover every broken place.
Every wound. Every heartache. Thank you that you are able to do far more than we could ever imagine. Thank you for your Mighty Power that acts on behalf of your children. We reach out to you and know that you are restoring and redeeming every place of difficulty, every battle, for your greater glory.
Thank you that you will never waste our pain and suffering. We release to you this day every need and problem we’ve carried or tried hard to control. We believe in your goodness to see us through. We love you. We need you today. (Debbie McDaniel)
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This article is part of our prayer resources meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
Prayers for Healing
Morning Prayers
Prayers for Family
Prayers for Surgery
Prayers for Strength
Night Prayers Before Bed
Prayers for Protection
The Lord's Prayer: Our Father
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