Devotional for being Thankful
During Thanksgiving, we focus on being thankful, but let's be reminded of all that we are in Christ Jesus year-round! We are children of God, and that, dear friends, is enough!
God is bountiful in His love, and He delights in us. God has provided for us above and beyond what we deserve.
I love Merriam-Webster's definition of thankful. Conscious of the benefit received!
I pray we can all agree that we have received great benefit from God in His willingness to sacrifice His Son for our salvation.
John 3:16 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
And it's important to acknowledge that we all have days—or seasons—where thankfulness feels impossible. The bills are high, the marriage is hard, the kids are wild, and gratitude feels fake. That doesn’t make you ungrateful; it makes you human in a broken world. The good news? Thankfulness isn’t pretending everything is perfect—it’s choosing to remember that Jesus is still enough, even when everything else feels like it’s not.
In marriage and family life, being thankful looks like:
- Thanking God for your spouse even on the days you don’t feel it
- Telling your kids one specific thing you’re grateful for about them every single day
- Praying together with gratitude instead of only bringing complaints
- Choosing to name the blessings in your actual home instead of coveting someone else’s
- Turning ‘I wish we had…’ into ‘Thank You, Lord, for what we do have’—together
Let us use today as a starting point to thank God in all situations intentionally.
Take the time to read the Bible scriptures below and truly focus on what they are saying to you. Some passages may touch you differently than others. Writing down the verses in your own hand is helpful for some individuals. Possibly looking up the verses in your Bible may be beneficial. I use a NIV bible translation. Or reading them over and over to commit to memory. Whatever method works best for you to experience God’s words and feel closer to Him.
Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Psalm 69:30
Colossians 3:15-16
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 95:2
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Ephesians 5:19-20
speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Here's a short prayer if you're struggling to find the words:
Father, some days I’m more aware of what’s missing than what You’ve given. Forgive my grumbling heart. Open my eyes today to the gifts already in my hands—my salvation, my spouse, my family, my breath. Make gratitude rise in our home like incense. Teach us to thank You in everything, because You are always good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Try one of these today:
- Tell your spouse one specific thing you’re thankful for about them (text it if speaking feels hard).
- As a family, name three things you’re grateful for right now—even if they’re tiny.
- Pray together Philippians 4:6, turning one worry into a thankful prayer.
Dear friends, I pray that these verses speak to you and remind you of your blessings through Christ alone!
God bless!
Melissa
