Beautiful Thanksgiving Prayers for Gratitude and Giving Thanks to God

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ~ Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)...Every prayer should be one of thanksgiving. 

The verse above is between two verses that help us understand its context. We should not be anxious, worried, or fretful about anything because: "The Lord is at hand! "~ Philippians 4:5b (NKJV) When we pray with thanksgiving, we experience the blessings of God's presence and His goodness toward us. Even amid a pandemic, job loss, sickness, and even the death of a loved one - we can much to be thankful for.

God created us to receive the power of gratitude throughout the year, not just during the Thanksgiving holiday. When we give praise and thanksgiving we deepen our joy. As you count your blessings you are able to recall God's goodness. One of the best ways to give thanks is through prayer. When your prayer words align with your mind, you are able to experience the peace and joy of having a heart of gratitude. We have collected some of our favorite Thanksgiving prayers below to help you begin!

God is always with us.  He has promised to never leave us.  Rather than being anxious, we should pray, and we should pray with a thankful attitude. We should thank God not only for what He is going to do, but we should thank Him for what He already is doing.  He has saved us.  He provides for all our needs.  He strengthens us when we are weak.  He has promised not to give us anything that we cannot bear.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33

Peace is the opposite of anxiety.  Wouldn’t it be better to face the trials of our lives in peace, knowing that God has a plan and He will work it out for His purpose and our good? Now that is really something for which to thank God. Isn’t it amazing that the key to peace is thankfulness? There is something about giving thanks to God that washes the anxieties out of our hearts and fills us with peace.

We should even thank Him for the trials we are going through because they are for our growth as a Christian, which brings glory to God.  We can be thankful for God’s love and mercy.  We should be thankful for His sovereignty and His power. May these Thanksgiving prayers inspire your heart to be grateful for the incredible love and grace God gives to us!

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.

Thanksgiving Prayers of Gratitude

A Prayer of Gratitude

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. – John F. Kennedy, Thanksgiving Day, 1963

Quick Thanksgiving Prayer Before Eating

God, we thank you for the blessing and joy of family. Thank you for those who are gathered with us today and those who are far away. May we all see the many ways you provide for us, comfort us and protect us. Bless this food to make us healthy and strong. Amen.

A Child's Prayer of Thanks

God, I thank you for the family and friends you surround me with. Thank you for another day to wake up and celebrate life. Thank you for the strength to play and food to nourish me. Most importantly, thank you for your love for me. Amen. 

Thanksgiving Prayer

O Lord our God and heavenly Father,
in your indescribable mercy
you have provided food and drink
for the nourishment of our weak bodies.

Grant us peace
to use these gifts from your hands
with thankful, reverent hearts.
Let your blessing rest on these your gifts,
to our comfort and sustenance.

Grant, good Lord,
that as we hunger and thirst for this food for our bodies,
so may our souls earnestly long after
the Bread of eternal Life,
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Source: Freely modified from George Webb, “Short direction for the daily exercise of the Christian,” London 1625.

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

A Scriptural Prayer to be Thankful

Lord, teach me to be thankful in all circumstances. I want to be like the Apostle Paul who was thankful even in a dark prison. I want to choose praise even in the difficulties in my life. [Name those difficulties, thanking God for how He is using them for your good.] Help me to rise up to a new level of praise and thanksgiving. Help me to see that a thankful heart paves the way for blessing, and the enemy is defeated when I praise You. I want to glorify You and advance Your Kingdom through my praises. Help me to use Your Word as I worship You. I choose to walk in Your peace, listen carefully to You, and live expectantly. Thank You for helping me to be thankful in all my circumstances.

Grateful for Today

Heavenly Father, I am so grateful today. My heart overflows with gratitude. For eyes that see. For ears that hear. For fingers that grasp. For knees that bend. For lungs that breathe. I am so thankful for my family, my home, my Savior. Today, I ask for nothing and thank You for all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Sharon Jaynes

Praise and Thanksgiving

Father, We praise you today with our hearts and songs, we praise you for your faithfulness, we praise you for your great power and love. We confess our need for you, our lives don't go so well when we just spin around on our own. We struggle and worry, get weary and worn. Yet you never leave us. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your care over us, thank you that you breathe renewal right into our souls. We ask for your spirit to fill us, to draw us close to yourself, and to work your purposes through us, as we set our eyes on you. Amen.

We Thank You for All Your Benefits

Lord God, heavenly Father,
We thank you for all your benefits.
You have given us body and life
and have graciously sustained us to this day.
Do not take your blessing from us.

Preserve us from greed,
that we may serve you only,
love you and abide in you
and not defile ourselves by idolatrous love
of wealth or goods, but hope and trust only in your grace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Trinity 15

Thanksgiving Because of Him

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. ~ Psalm 50:14-15 NIV

Father, Thank You for loving us enough to not allow us to continue in our religious ways. Thank You for Your pursuit of us. Forgive us for cutting You out of our holidays, especially the ONE designed to turn our heads and hands upward in thanksgiving. Thank You for who You are. You alone are worthy of all our praise! In Jesus’ Name, Amen! Amen!  - Jill Rindfuss

Thanksgiving Prayer For Zeal

O almighty and merciful Father,
you pour out your benefits on us,
forgive our unthankfulness for your goodness.

We have stood before you with dead and senseless hearts,
unkindled by the love of your gentle and enduring goodness.

O merciful Father, turn us and we will be turned.
Make us hunger and thirst for you with our whole heart,
and with all our longing desire you.

Make us serve you with our whole heart
and with all our zeal seek whatever is pleasing in your sight;
for the sake of your only Son,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century

Blessing of Gratitude

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Dear God, Thank You not only for Your countless blessings but for the challenges that draw us near to You. Thank You for the hard 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

Thankful for Love

Dear God, Thank you that you are a loving, gracious God. Thank you that you’ve offered us forgiveness and the gift of new life in you. Thank you that your love is perfect, it never fails, and that nothing can separate us from your love.

We pray that our lives would be filled and overflowing with the power of your love so we can make a difference in this world and bring honor to you. We ask for your help in reminding us that the most important things are not what we do outwardly, it’s not based on any talent or gift, but the most significant thing we can do in this life is simply to love you and to choose to love others. - Debbie McDaniel

Thank God For His 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 so I can be thank-full. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Tracie Miles

God, You Are Good!

Lord, I am thankful for Your goodness in my life. You have saved me, delivered me, redeemed me, and changed me. My entire life is marked by Your supernatural goodness and mercy! It is true that You have showered me with nonstop blessings - and today I want to take this opportunity to thank You for every good thing You've done in my life.  (Rick Renner)

A Prayer for a Truly Thankful Heart

Lord, teach us to offer you a heart of thanksgiving and praise in all our daily experiences of life. Teach me to be joyful always, to pray continually and to give thanks in all my circumstances.

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

Thankful for All Things

Dear God, Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for all that you've allowed into our lives this past year, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day. We ask for your wisdom, for your strength and power to be constantly present within us. Give us ability beyond what we feel able, let your gifts flow freely through us, so that you would be honored by our lives, and others would be drawn to you. We pray that you’d keep us far from the snares and traps of temptations. Help us to be known as great givers, help us to be generous and kind, help us to look to the needs of others and not be consumed by only our own. May we be lovers of truth, may the fruits of your spirit be evident in our lives - your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Amen - Debbie McDaniel

A Prayer to Give Thanks to the Lord

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.

Praise God's Goodness

Dear Lord, teach me to keep my eyes on You. I praise You for every victory, seen and unseen, as day upon day I gather the plunder of Your goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Branda Bradford Ottinger

Make Us Grateful

Jesus, Make us grateful. Give us eyes to see what it is that really makes us blessed, and forgive us when we allow our gratitude to extend only to those blessings which can be measured in “likes.” For we know that when all else fades, faith, hope, and love remain (1 Corinthians. 13:13). In Your Name, Amen.

Expressing Gratitude and Thanks to God

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 needs each day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.- Arlene Pellicane

Thank You, Faithful God

Dear Lord, You are faithful beyond measure and I thank you for sustaining my family through difficult and trying times. Thank you for the Bible that reminds me of your faithfulness; and thank you for holding my future securely in your hand of provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Blessings Over Burdens

Lord, I long to feel happy and joyful again. Prick my heart each time I focus on burdens instead of blessings. Help me develop an intentional attitude of gratitude. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving from Psalms:

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. "

Sources:

• Thanksgiving Prayer - 20 Encouraging and Inspiring Prayers! ~ Crosswalk.com
• A Prayer of Thanksgiving ~ Encouragement Café
• Thanksgiving Day Prayers ~ acollectionofprayers.com

Photos from Unsplash & Pexels