Thanksgiving Devotional: Reflecting On God's Goodness and Provision

This Thanksgiving Devotional is designed to help you reflect on God’s goodness and provision in your life.

Thanksgiving is the one holiday a year when we pause to be thankful for what we have – followed quickly by going out and buying more things. This year, instead of getting through the thankfulness part so you can move on to the consumerism part, take time to slow down and reflect on God’s goodness to you over the years. Reflect on His provision in your life.

In this Thanksgiving devotional, I’ll help you explore just how you can do that. I’ll show you how you can cultivate a grateful heart by providing a firm biblical foundation and other helpful resources. Through scripture, prayer, and reflection, you’ll begin to align your heart with God’s will and develop a grateful spirit that endures beyond the holiday season.

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The Biblical foundation of being thankful

The Bible is full of verses on thankfulness and gratitude, with the command to “rejoice always” strong throughout. But often, without some kind of reminder in our daily lives, we forget to be thankful.

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.”

How is it possible to rejoice always? We’ll get into some of the more practical tips in a second, but first it’s important to know the “why” behind the action. Do you have a “why”? Or do you just want to practice gratitude because you think you should? This next verse might be able to answer the question of “why” for you.

Psalm 100:4-5

“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.”

The reason we choose to be thankful is because of God and His faithfulness to us. Can you think of the ways in which God has been faithful in your own life? How have you seen the Love of God on display? When you think of God’s faithfulness, are you immediately filled with gratitude?

Recognizing God’s goodness in everyday life

Although God’s goodness is always on display for all to see, sometimes we may need help opening our eyes to it. In Exodus, Moses asked God to show him His glory, and God did. God responded by passing in front of Moses, proclaiming “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 30:5-7). The goodness of God is in His glory. The phrase “abounding in love” in Hebrew is חֶסֶד (ḥeseḏ), and it is an unconditional loving-kindness. It is the goodness of God – an undeserved mercy.

The goodness of God gives us every reason for gratitude and to sing back praises to God. Here are some practical ways to practice gratitude in daily life.

Daily gratitude journal

A gratitude journal is a great way to practice thankfulness. With a new prompt each day, this Thanksgiving gratitude Journal is sure to inspire you to live a life filled with gratitude. Another great way to practice gratitude journaling is by writing out three things you are grateful for each day. This simple aesthetic journal would be perfect for daily gratitude. You can turn any thanksgiving or gratitude journal into a devotional by including scriptures with your entries.

Reflect on God’s Character

If you ever feel stuck when thinking of what you are grateful for, reflect on God’s character. The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), he is patient (2 Peter 3:9) and He is everlasting (Isaiah 40:28). God is light, and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). He is the giver of good gifts (James 1:17), He is the Way, the truth, and the Life (John 14:6). There are countless verses that speak to God’s character, and reflecting on who God is can help you know where to start in your gratitude journey.

Thankfulness in prayer

Another great way to express your thankfulness to God is to tell Him! God loves you and desires a close relationship with you. One of the best ways to draw closer to God is simply by talking to Him as you would to a friend. You can pour out your heart to Him and rest secure that He will listen. He desires to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly of your life. Don’t hold back from praising Him with thankfulness, or even crying out to Him in sorrow. Just talk to Him.

holiday devotional — How has God been faithful in your life?

If you find it difficult to pray because your mind wanders, using a Thanksgiving devotional journal would be a great way to help you focus. As you write down your prayers, you can really think about what you are saying. It can also be encouraging to look back later at your prayers and see how God has been faithful in your life.

A Thankfulness devotional includes God’s provision

One of the qualities of God is that He is your Provider in every sense of the word. Not only does He physically provide for your needs, but He also provides spiritually and emotionally as well.

Physical provision

Matthew 6:26

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

One of the biggest things that can keep us from gratitude is worrying about physical needs. If you are worried about having enough money this month to provide groceries or other necessities for your family, take heart. In this section, Jesus is speaking to a large crowd telling them not to worry. If God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field, won’t He do the same (and more) for you? Take a moment to reflect on how you have already seen God’s provision in your life.

Spiritual Provision

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

In this famous passage where Paul states that he has learned to be content no matter his situation, he asserts that God will meet ALL of your needs. Why? Because of the riches of God’s glory in Christ.

Emotional provision

Psalm 34:18

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

What an amazing verse of comfort! God does not shy away when you are experiencing a difficult season, but He draws near. He is close to you when you are brokenhearted, just as He is close to you when you are filled with joy. God provides Peace (John 14:27) and comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Cultivating a thankful heart in all seasons

Thanksgiving is a very specific time of the year when everyone gets together and focuses on family, friends, and gratitude. Most people lay aside their differences and their complaints about life to live in the moment. It is easy to be thankful during this season when everyone else is also expressing their gratitude. But how can you remain grateful throughout the year?

Trusting God’s plan

Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I may not know what situation you are going through, but I do know there is a lot of pain in this world. Although it can be difficult to see God’s love when you are in the middle of a difficult circumstance, trust in Him. Trust that God desires the best for you. And trust that He is working ALL THINGS for your good.

Choosing gratitude

Colossians 3:15

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Even if you find yourself in a difficult situation, you still have the ability to choose how you respond. You can rest in the peace and comfort that God gives. You can choose to be thankful for the small things in life. Just because you are choosing gratitude doesn’t mean that you can’t acknowledge how difficult life is. But it means that you choose not to dwell on the negative. Instead you dwell on the faithfulness of Christ.

Reflecting on God’s faithfulness

Whenever I am going through a difficult season, I reflect on God’s faithfulness in my own life. I can see how he has already brought me through difficult seasons, like depression and a miscarriage. I can also see how he has blessed me abundantly – with a loving husband and adorable son. Because I am able to look back at God’s faithfulness, I can confidently look forward to His promises.

Thanksgiving as a lifestyle

Life can be overwhelming, and when there isn’t a specific holiday reminding you to choose gratitude, thankfulness can be easily forgotten. Here are four ways to help you practice thankfulness every day.

Start each day with gratitude

As soon as you wake up in the morning, take a moment to be thankful. If you are the type of person who needs a cup of coffee before you are truly awake, consider combining your morning cup with journal time, where you can write down and reflect on things you are grateful for.

Incorporate gratitude into worship

Part of worship is praising God for His faithfulness, goodness, and mercy. But when was the last time you were truly present during worship? Instead of passively singing along with the songs, reflect on the lyrics. How do they speak to the character of God? And don’t be afraid to take a break from singing altogether to just be in the presence of God. Let God know how grateful you are for who He is and what He has done.

Encourage others to be thankful

Next time you are having a conversation with someone, and they are steering towards pessimism, consider how you can bring the topic back to gratitude. This might require quite a bit of practice and even patience, but you’ll be surprised at how it affects other people. They may begin to see things in a new light because you chose to speak truth and gratitude with them.

Live out your gratitude

It might be tempting to check off a box for morning gratitude and then go on your merry way the rest of the day, without letting the practice change you at all. Find ways to live out your gratitude. Don’t be afraid to get creative with it!

Reflect on this Thanksgiving devotional

As Christians, we are called to be thankful always. In the modern world, this can seem quite difficult, but I hope this post on a Thanksgiving Devotional has encouraged you and given you some helpful tips on how to encourage gratefulness in your everyday life. Get started with gratitude today by leaving a comment below with something you are thankful for!

This post was all about thanksgiving devotional tips to help you practice gratefulness everyday.

Thanksgiving Devotional: Reflecting On God’s Goodness and Provision