10 Prayers to Turn Your Heart Towards Thankfulness This Season

Jessica Brodie Award-winning Christian Novelist and Journalist
Published Oct 17, 2022

There’s so much activity this time of year, and the distractions of day-to-day life can make slowing down to think about thankfulness difficult at times. But more than ever, an attitude of gratitude is not only important, but essential to becoming a stronger disciple of Christ.

When we stop to reflect on the whole concept of thanksgiving — the act of giving thanks and being appreciative of the blessings that we have — it creates a new sense of joy and peace inside of us.

But sometimes we have trouble beginning to form the words to begin our prayers of thanksgiving. Here, then, are 10 prayers to turn your heart toward thankfulness this season.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Aaron Amat

stack of books surrounded by pumpkins and leaves

1. A Prayer for Creation

From football games, apple picking, hayrides, and festivals, to cooler temperatures and the beautiful fall colors adorning trees, many people say they’re madly in love with autumn. But regardless of your favorite time of year, one thing you can do this season to be thankful is to set your mind on the unique weather and natural changes of fall. Let’s pray:

Lord,

You are the master artist of all creation. Your handcrafted every bit of it. With Your breath, You spoke all into being. You created this world and its foliage, its lush mountains and its tumultuous waters. Every inch of it is glorious and majestic in its own unique way. We know You love diversity, and we appreciate all the differences You created in this world. Help me to turn my mind into a deeper appreciation of this season. Help me to slow down and enjoy the weather, to breathe in the scents of trees and autumn grasses, to inhale the essence of the season and fully open my heart to all the beauty You have created. You created nature, You created me, You created it all, and I am so thankful to have a part in all of this wonder.

In Your holy name I pray,

Amen.

2. A Prayer for Sustenance

As autumn takes ahold of the land, certain fruits and vegetables come into season, and the cooler temperatures might bring a return to soups and stews and other special seasonal meals. We know that throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus made a point to express gratitude for God’s provision of our daily needs, from the two fish and five loaves that fed 5,000 (Matthew 14:19) to the bread served at the Last Supper (Luke 22:17). May He help us remember this as we enjoy the foods of the season.

Dear Father God,

Thank You for all the ways You take care of me and provide my daily food needs. Help me to focus on savoring all that You provide and appreciate it for its goodness and the nutrition it provides to my body. Help me be grateful for what I receive, knowing so many other people do not have the food that they need and sometimes don’t know where their next meal will come from. Out of this abundance which You have provided, help me be ever grateful that I feel overjoyed, and in that gratitude genuinely desire to give back to others in honor of the blessings that You give me.

In Your name I pray,

Amen.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/JDawnInk

3. A Prayer about Shelter

We can also pause to thank God for providing a roof above our heads.

Dear Lord,

As I break out my fall sweaters and shift from shorts and lighter clothing to heavier fabrics, jeans and boots, I pause to thank You for providing the hands and the machinery that made what I can put on my body to protect it from the elements. Help me not be so worried about how I look, but rather acknowledge and appreciate that You have provided this protection for me. As with the food I enjoy, help me have a newfound appreciation for those who might not have some of the warm clothing I do this season, and help me to share what I have so that we all can be warm. I also thank you for the special artistry You have gifted those who make the clothes. Help me appreciate the skill that goes into the making of each garment — every stitch, every button, every small bit of design. It all reflects the diverse beauty of Your natural world, from the colors to the type of fabric to the cut.

Thank You, Lord, for all of this.

Amen.

4. A Prayer to Appreciate Breath

One of the simplest ways to bask in gratitude is to pause and contemplate the air in our lungs, something we must have to survive. This, too, is a gift.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Some days I’m so rushed, and I have to remember to sit and practice deep breathing. I take for granted that the life force of who I am, the thing animating my body, is the breath of life that You gave me. You breathed Your breath into Adam, the first man, and from this into every other human who walks and lives upon this earth. Thank You for that. Thank You for lungs and for the masterful way that our bodies work together to move oxygen throughout our entire body system. We are blessed that You chose to give this to us. Help me to be grateful for a thing I do minute by minute, hour by hour, usually without thinking: simply breathing. I love You, Lord. Fix my mind upon simple things like this in thankfulness.

Amen.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Valentina Locatelli

5. A Prayer Appreciating My Body

As with our breath, our body is among the things we often don’t stop to consider when it comes to gratitude. But what a miracle it is. Here is a prayer thanking God for our bodies.

Precious God,

My body is a wonderful thing. It is a shell for my soul, my vessel. Whatever form it may be in at this moment, whether in failing health or the prime of life, help me be grateful for the care that You put into it. You gave me skin and blood and a beating heart, but sometimes I take all of that for granted. I know that my body on this earth will not last forever, but in You, my soul will experience eternity in Your kingdom. But for as long as I have my body, help me to appreciate it. Help me to use it for Your glory and to have a willing heart to be Your instrument in this world. Use me as You will.

In Your name I pray,

Amen.

6. A Prayer Appreciating the Gift of Salvation

We know from the Bible that “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” (John 3:16). Our promised salvation is a critical area for gratitude.

Almighty God,

Thank You so much for salvation. You chose to make humankind in Your image, and in spite of our sin, in spite of our selfishness, in spite of our constant disobedience since the beginning of time, You love us enough to redeem us through the blood of Your son Jesus Christ. You offer us a path to salvation, the forgiveness of our sin debt, indeed the forgiveness of all of our sins. And the amazing thing is that there’s nothing we can do to earn this. There’s nothing we can offer You that You don’t already have. You do this only because You love us. What a gift that You love us this much that You would let us, sinful human beings, have a part in Your plan and Your heavenly kingdom. In honor of the blessing You give us, help us not selfishly hoard this gift, but share it with everyone we know. Help us share Your plan of the gospel to all corners of the Earth.

Amen.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jacob Ammentorp Lund

7. A Prayer for God’s Mercy

Lamentations 3:22-23 praises God for His never-ending mercies. Therefore, expressing gratitude for God’s mercy is another way we can turn our hearts toward thankfulness.

Lord,

Thank You for Your mercy. When we are at our lowest, You still see us. Not only this, but You break our hearts for those in need as well. You allow us to represent Your great love to others in the world. You allow us to be Jesus’s hands and feet to the hurting and the hopeless, so that they can find hope in You. Help us continue to have a heart for mercy and to give without question in love for You.

Amen.

8. A Prayer for God’s Miracles

We can also thank God for miracles He performs in our lives, whatever these may look like.

Holy God,

Thank You for miracles great and small. Thank You for making life possible out of nothing. Thank You for offering redemption and reconciliation for those who turn away from a path of sin to a path of righteousness. In a world that can seem wired for selfishness, You offer forgiveness and compassion and kindness, both in the miracle that is salvation and in the many healing miracles You perform.

Amen.

9. A Prayer about Family

Family can be considered both a joy and a difficulty, and who we consider our family often has nothing to do with genetic relation, but is fully spiritual. Here is a prayer of gratitude for family, whatever that may be.

Lord God,

Thank You for family, whether this is a family of blood relation or family we have created in our church or in our communities. We hurt each other often without meaning, and we also experience hurt. But we know that human love and care is but a shadow of the perfect love You have for us. Help us remember the words of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us: to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Thank You for giving us human relationships as an opportunity to love You well.

Amen.

10. A Prayer Appreciating Technology

Technology gets a lot of criticism at times for contributing to an increasingly online world, but with families and friends spread across the globe, technology can bring much-needed closeness and love during the holidays, as well as a way to participate in worship. Here is a prayer of appreciation for technology.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gifts You bring through technology, whether that is connecting with family and friends who live far away, the opportunity to attend church, or even reading this article on our computers or phones. You bring great and glorious opportunities to do good and learn more in Your name. Help us remember and appreciate that and to use it for Your glory.

Amen.

Hopefully, these prayers are a good starting point to begin better and deeper expressions of thankfulness as, together, we all embrace a heart of gratitude.

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Her newest release is an Advent daily devotional for those seeking true closeness with God, which you can find at https://www.jessicabrodie.com/advent. Learn more about Jessica’s fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional and podcast. You can also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed