Prayer for thanking god

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends and reflect on the blessings of the last year. Many of us experience renewed hope and faith during the Thanksgiving holiday because we turn our eyes onto what is most important. What if we spent time each day in giving thanks and prayer? How could God grow out faith and trust if we lived a life of thanks through all seasons and not just Thanksgiving time? When your heart is filled with gratitude, there is little room to worry or complain.

We would love to encourage and help you along the way toward greater hope and joy! Below are 9 thanksgiving prayers you can use not only for Thanksgiving day but throughout the year. Start living out the promises of God that Jesus came “that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10. 

Prayer 1: A Daily Thanksgiving Prayer

“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 for your great love and care. Thank you for your 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.”
– Debbie McDaniel, Crosswalk.com Contributor

Prayer 2: A Prayer for a 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…

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.”
– Debbie Przybylski, Intercessors Arise International

Prayer 3: A Short Prayer of Thanks

“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, Contributor

Prayer 4: A Prayer for Thanksgiving Day

Father God, today I thank You for the provisions of my life…
I thank You for the people in my life…
I thank You for the opportunities You have given to me in my life…
I thank You for the acceptance and forgiveness You have lavished upon me in spite of my sinful actions and choices…

I thank You for the healing You have brought into my life—physical and emotional… I thank You for the way You have brought me back from the darkness that
lurks in my soul and the choices I could have made that would have landed
me in a pit—or the choices I have made that did land me in a pit…
I thank You for the desires of my heart that You have satisfied with good things…

And the desires that I have not yet seen satisfied. Help me to be confident because of the grace You have given to me in so many others ways, that even my unmet desires would be something I could be grateful for…Amen.
Excerpted with permission from Day 31 of Prayers for Today (Moody Publishers, 2011) by Pastor Kurt Bjorklund.

Prayer 5: A Prayer to Teach Kids Thankfulness

“Lord, I pray that the message of Christ and his sacrifice is the root of gratitude in my heart. That His gracious gift leads me to thankful living, setting an example for my children. That they will have their own relationship with Jesus one day, and that You would grow gratitude in their hearts out of the acceptance of Jesus as their Savior. Lead us to do everything in the name of Jesus and give thanks to You through Him.”
– Marie Osborne, Contributor

Prayer 6: A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

“O Heavenly Father:
We thank Thee for food and remember the hungry.
We thank Thee for health and remember the sick.
We thank Thee for friends and remember the friendless.
We thank Thee for freedom and remember the enslaved.
May these remembrances stir us to service.
That Thy gifts to us may be used for others. Amen.”
– “Dear Abby” Columnist

Prayer 7: Thanksgiving Song (makes a wonderful prayer!)

“Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.
From far and near we travel home,
Blessed that we are able.
Grateful for this sheltered place
With light in every window,
Saying welcome, welcome, share this feast
Come in away from sorrow.
Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend and friendless;
All together everyone in the gift of loving-kindness.
Grateful for whats understood,
And all that is forgiven;
We try so hard to be good,
To lead a life worth living.
Father, mother, daughter, son,
Neighbor, friend, and friendless;
All together everyone, let grateful days be endless.
Grateful for each hand we hold
Gathered round this table.”
– Mary Chapin Carpenter – Thanksgiving Song Lyrics 

Prayer 8: A Prayer of Thanks for Our Many Blessings

“Oh God, You are so good. You are faithful and gracious and You have blessed me beyond measure. Thank you for everyday blessings to which I have become accustomed, but never want to take for granted: clean drinking water, electricity, food in my pantry, hot showers, a roof over my head, and a bed to sleep in.

Thank you for legs that carry me where I need to go and hands that enable me to accomplish many things. Thank you for my hearing and my vision and for a sound, healthy mind.

Thank you my family, my friends, my job, my neighbors. Thank you for freedom to attend my church, for my pastors, and for my small group(s) and my many relationships.

Thank you for the things You are doing in my heart and in my life. I’m grateful that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, I am much different today than I was 10 years ago, or a year ago. I am even different that I was at the beginning of this year, and it’s because of Your power at work in me, continually transforming me into Your image.

I love and adore You, Lord, and my heart overflows with gratitude for all these blessings. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.”
excerpt from 3 Grateful Prayers to Prepare Your Heart for Thanksgiving by Julie K. Gillies

Prayer 9: 17 Statements of Gratitude

“Thank you, God for the times You have said “no.” They have helped me depend on You so much more.
Thank you, God, for unanswered prayer. It reminds me that You know what’s best for me, even when my opinion differs from Yours.
Thank You, Lord, for the things you have withheld from me. You have protected me from what I may never realize.
Thank You, God, for the doors You have closed. They have prevented me from going where You would rather not have me go.
Thank you, Lord, for the physical pain You’ve allowed in my life. It has helped me more closely relate to Your sufferings on my behalf.
Thank you, Lord, for the alone times in my life. Those times have forced me to lean in closer to You.
Thank you, God, for the uncertainties I’ve experienced. They have deepened my trust in You.
Thank You, Lord, for the times You came through for me when I didn’t even know I needed a rescue.
Thank You, Lord, for the losses I have experienced. They have been a reminder that You are my greatest gain.
Thank You, God, for the tears I have shed. They have kept my heart soft and mold-able.
Thank You, God, for the times I haven’t been able to control my circumstances. They have reminded me that You are sovereign and on the throne.
Thank You, God, for those people in my life whom You have called home to be with You. Their absence from this earth keeps my heart longing for heaven.
Thank You, God, that I have an inheritance in the heavenly places…something that this world can never steal from me and I could never selfishly squander.
Thank You, God, for the greatest gift You could ever give me: forgiveness through Your perfect Son’s death on the cross on my behalf.
Thank You, God, for the righteousness You credited toward me, through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s a righteousness I could never earn or attain on my own.
Thank You, Father, that You know me, You hear me, and You see my tears. Remind me through difficult times that You are God, You are on the throne, and You are eternally good.
And thank You, Lord, not only for my eternal salvation, but for the salvation You afford every day of my life as You save me from myself, my foolishness, my own limited insights, and my frailties in light of Your power and strength.”
– Cindy McMenamin, Author

Thanksgiving Prayers from Scripture:

Psalm 95 – “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods…”
Psalm 100 – “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalm 118:29 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 103: 1-5 – “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 136:1-5 – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. “

Read more Bible Verses for Thanksgiving at BibleStudyTools.com

Image courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.

Prayer for Healing

Prayer for StrengthPrayer for ProtectionMorning PrayersGood Night PrayersThe Prayer of JabezShort PrayersThe Lord’s PrayerSerenity PrayerA Birthday PrayerPrayer for ForgivenessIntercessory PrayerIrish Prayers and BlessingsAdvent PrayersChristmas PrayersThanksgiving PrayerEaster Prayers  

Now available is our new Daily Prayer devotional! An easy way to find start your day with prayer, read today’s prayer and sign up to receive by email.

www.crosswalk.com

QUESTION: What are some prayers of thanks?

ANSWER:

These prayers of thanks are based on Romans 8, Galatians 5:1, and Philippians 1:6.

Lord I come before You, desiring to provide thanks.

Father, I have so much to be thankful for, things unseen and seen,

that You have done in my life.

Lord, mostly I am thankful for the relationship that I have with You.

Lord, You initiated this relationship, by what Your Son endeavored to accomplish,

paying the price for my sin, redeeming and reconciling me.

Dear Heavenly Father, You know the times I have been ungrateful, held ill thoughts toward You and my fellow humans. You know the times I complain and grumble about life and its circumstances, about suffering, going through what seem endless trials and tribulations. Even yielding my members to unholy deeds.

Yet God You are and always will be there with me, even when it seems like I am forever in the wilderness, running further and further from You, You, my God are there guiding me back to Your loving arms.

I am thankful Lord for everything that You allow to cross my path. Thankful for the decisions that You allow me to make and the lessons that come from these decisions.

I’m thankful, Lord, that I do not have to live under condemnation anymore, that You have truly set me free, that I am a new creation that I need not live under the law anymore. Thankful Lord that You have given me joy unspeakable. Thankful Lord that You are longsuffering, allowing me to mature in You!

Lord, words do not express my thankfulness. For Your mighty power is at work in me, transforming me, renewing my mind. To You Lord belong thanks eternal.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

These prayers of thanks are based on 1 Corinthians 2, Matthew 5 – 6, Hebrews 12:

Lord, there are marvelous things that I do not know, nor can I comprehend.

Lord, things that happen in my life, and things that happen in my friends lives.

Lord, I desire to be thankful, to appreciate everything that comes across my path.

Lord, so often life hurts, I get angry — upset, I do not understand, yet Lord You ask me to be thankful for everything, and have faith – thank You.

Lord, help me to be thankful, when the rains come on the just and the unjust, that You care so much about me, that Your to chasten, to build character and godliness in me, to be a mirrored reflection of Your Son to reach others.

Lord, I thank You for mercy, for the hunger for righteousness, for forgiveness, for purity, for providing for my needs.

Lord, I thank You for prayer, That I can come before You and call You Father.

That I can cast my burdens on You.

Lord, I thank You for my heart, the treasure and light You placed in there — the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help me to endeavor, to be thankful for everything.

Lord, it seems most of the time, what happens is about me.

Lord, I thank you that You gently remind me that the things are not about me, however, my life and what happens is more about You, Your will, and Your Kingdom.

Lord, I thank You, I praise You. Lord, in You do I find strength and courage to go on.

Lord, I thank You for the author and finisher of my faith – Jesus Christ and that in You is hope everlasting.

Lord, I thank You for the blood of Jesus, Your precious lamb.

Thank You Lord God!

In Jesus’ name, amen.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

– We have all

sinned

and deserve God’s judgment.

God

, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him.

Jesus

, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He

died

for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was

buried

, and

rose from the dead

according to the

Bible

. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your

Savior

, declaring, “

Jesus is Lord

,” you will be saved from

judgment

and spend eternity with God in heaven.

What is your response?

Yes, today I am deciding to follow JesusYes, I am already a follower of JesusI still have questions

www.allaboutprayer.org

The Bible tells us “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). It’s important to have faith in God when you can’t see the way but how can you offer God praise when you’re dealing with hardship and pain? The choices you make in these moments are so important. They can propel you toward God or away from Him. You can find God in the hard times by choosing to trust and hope when we can’t see the way. This will help us turn to praise and glorify God better.

According to Scripture, praise is an act of our will that flows out of us through reverence of God. Our God is worthy of praise. Revelations 5:11-14 speaks of a voice of a thousand angels around God’s throne, singing in a mighty chorus “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain – to receive powers and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing”. When we give glory to God, it opens us up to a more intimate relationship with Him.

God is present come rain or shine. He is even present when we fail to realize it. It’s important that we not only turn our focus back to praise when we begin to lose hope but also that we turn to praise in times of abundance. Many of us are quick to question God when things go wrong, but slow to honor Him when things go well. One of the biggest challenges here is turning every blessing He pours into our lives back into praise. One way we can do this is through gratitude. Thanksgiving is a great way for us as Christians to take steps into worship. Psalm 100 exhorts this and us: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His spirits with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name” (Psalm 100: 4-5). In order to have a heart of gratitude, we must acknowledge God. Here are six prayers to thank God.

Thank You For Loving Me

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for showing me my worthiness and for pursuing me. I am in awe of You Lord! I submit my heart to you Lord. May Your Holy Spirit transform me and make me like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thank You For My Countless Blessings

Heavenly Father, I want to thank You for my countless blessings. I thank You not only for the food I have to eat, lovingly prepared for me, but also for spiritual gifts, in particular the loved ones I cherish dearly, a comfortable place to live, the beauty that surrounds me, health, and spiritual wealth to name a few. I acknowledge you for the countless blessings You’ve provided. I thank You for giving us clear direction through Your Holy Word. Through good and bad times, help me to see that we are blessed beyond measure. Amen.

Thank You For Waking Me Up

Heavenly Father, on this day I give You thanks for waking me up this morning and starting me on my way. Today, I ask that I recognize how blessed I am – that I may be spiritually transformed. Help me to not wake up with a complaining spirit, an attitude and dwelling on yesterday’s problems. Instead, I ask that You change our complaining to thanksgiving, our attitude to love and that I turn all my problems and stress over to You. In Your Holy name I pray. Amen.

Thank You For Every Good and Perfect Gift

Heavenly Father, I humbly come before You with a grateful heart, praising You with all my being, for I know that every good and perfect gift comes from You –The One who never changes. I recognize those good things, both large and small, with which You have blessed me. As I lift up this prayer, I also recognize our forgetfulness in giving You thanks each and every day. Forgive me. May I learn to thank You for the good; And may I trust the evil to be made good by You. For You alone are worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. Amen.

Thank You For Those I Love and Those in Need

Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for blessing me. Today, I pray not only for my loved ones, but also for those around me in positions of need. When I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; help me to have compassion for those around me, and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen.

Thank You For Your Grace and Generosity

Heavenly Father, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon me and receive my heartfelt gratitude in this time of giving thanks. I acknowledge You for all gifts and blessings You have bestowed upon us: food and shelter, health, love we have for one another, my family and friends. I thank you for Your infinite generosity. Please grant me continued Grace and blessings throughout the coming year. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.

When we focus our minds in the direction of God and proclaim His goodness, we reflect His glory. When we do this, we are filled with peace and contentment. This can help shift our outlook related to our circumstances. Finding God in the hard times can be particularly difficult. That’s why it’s so important to choose trust and hope when you can’t see the way.

God has blessed us with so much. We can’t acknowledge what we have without thanking God, our Heavenly Father, who gave us the gift of life and from whom all blessings flow. Praise God for He is good and His mercy endures forever.

www.beliefnet.com

There are times that we feel deeply blessed by the kindness of others, including God our Father. Did you know that these are some of the best times to offer up a prayer of gratitude and thanks to God? However, we sometimes forget in those moments to stop and express thankfulness to God for the blessings we have in our lives. Remember that all we have, and all that we own, has been given to us by our Lord. He wants what’s best for us always. Let us remember to thank Him for these things every day. It is His longing to be there for His children!

If the need for prayer is what you are seeking most, may it be gratitude or thankfulness, whether in your own life, or in the life of someone you love, let us pray for you at the holiest place on earth, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We have faith that sending your prayer to the place where our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life for us will help your request be granted! It is our honor and privilege to be a prayer warrior for you, and to ask the Lord to watch over you, protect you, and keep you, always. Please submit your prayer request today.

“You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt You! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 118:28-29

Prayer for Daily Gratitude and Thankfulness

Heavenly Father, my day-to-day routine is so busy. So much so that I sometimes forget to stop to thank you for all that is good in my life. My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation. I want to thank you, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be. Sometimes life is very hard, and it’s a struggle to keep my head above water. Things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult often hurts. When my heart feels stretched and empty, and pools of tears form in my weary eyes, still I will rejoice that You are as near to me as my next breath and that in the midst of turbulence, I am growing and learning. In the silence of my soul, I thank you most of all for Your unconditional love.

Prayer for the Gratitude of God’s Unfailing Love

Lord, I am so thankful for the relationship that I have with You. Precious Lord, You initiated this relationship by what Your Son endeavored to accomplish, paying the price for my sins and those of my brothers and sisters, thus redeeming and reconciling me.

You know the times I have been ungrateful, held ill thoughts toward You and others. You know the times I complain and grumble about life and its circumstances, but You love me regardless even when I’m ungrateful. I am thankful Lord for everything that You allow to cross my path. I am thankful for the decisions that You allow me to make, and the life lessons that come from these decisions. I’m thankful, Lord, that I do not have to live under condemnation anymore, and that You have truly set me free! Amen.

Prayer for God’s Thanksgiving

God of all blessings, source of all life, giver of all grace in all things, I want to thank you for the gift of life, for the breath that sustains life, for the food of this earth that nurtures life, and for the love of family and friends without which there would be little happiness in life. I thank you for the beauty of creation of this great Earth, for the joy that the ear may hear, for the unknown that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder, and for the expanse of space that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves. Everything in my life, and the life that surrounds me was drawn and created by Your own hand. For this, I am grateful. Amen.

 

Prayer for Gratitude Towards Our Heavenly Father

I am so grateful for everything that You have given me. Thank you so much for the loved ones in my life, and for the many ways in which I am cared for and supported on a day to day basis. Thank you for the many ways I can serve and give to others. Thank you for the rich tapestry of colors throughout creation, for the beauty that is all around me, and for the skies and the ever-changing environment that surrounds me. My heart is so grateful for all that You have bestowed me within my life. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is in Your name that I sing my praises!

Prayer for Gratitude and Thanks In the Morning

Lord, thank you for the goodness in my life. When I wake each morning, I praise Your name! You have given me life that is filled with beauty, and the breath in my lungs is a gift from You. I pray that You will fill my day with love and sustenance. And may I remember at the end of each of my day’s, to thank you for all that has been placed in my life. In Your precious name I pray these things!

Prayer of Thankfulness for Blessings Received

My Precious Father, how I praise and thank You for Your many and great blessings that You have showered over us all, despite our foolish ways and sinful pride. How great You are, and what a gracious God that You should care for me despite my manner towards you and others at times. Thank You Father for Your unconditional and everlasting love. May I grow more and more to be like You. I ask that You continue to guide and teach me in all that I say and do, and that I may do all according to Your will. I ask You to continue to pour our Your bountiful blessings and mercy on myself and my whole family. Amen.

 

Prayer of Thankfulness for the Blessing of Jesus Christ

Our dear heavenly Father, may Your name be glorified for You alone are worthy, for You looked down on our pitiful world and chose to give Your only Beloved Son to be the perfect sacrifice to pay the price for the sins of all of Your people. There are no words that are sufficient enough to praise and bless You for all that You have poured over the heads of Your children, and into the hearts of those that love and trust You. You alone are worthy of our thanksgiving and praise, and we bless Your name forever and ever, amen.

Verses:

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“For all of this, Your Excellencey, we are very grateful to you.” Acts 24:3

www.holylandprayer.com