Prayers of thanksgiving are a necessary part of the believer’s life, not just during a season of the year. Gratitude is a spiritual discipline for everyday life.
The Bible offers examples of prayers of Thanksgiving, spoken in many different situations. It’s interesting to discover about the specific prayers of thanksgiving.
The Pattern for Thanksgiving prayers
In the Old Testament, the Lord established patterns of thanksgiving through the priesthood and sacrifices. Leviticus 7:11-15 is the first time thanksgiving is mentioned in the Bible, with specific instructions for the thank offering.
The sacrifice of thanksgiving was a voluntary offering between the Israelite worshipper, the priest, and the Lord. It was a type of peace offering, bringing them together in fellowship.
Old Testament priests thanked God each morning and evening.
They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening. 1 Chronicles 23:30
We can learn from their example that offering thanks to God is important at the beginning and end of every day. Do you have a gratitude journal? By recording the prayers of thanks in a gratitude journal, we can see God’s hand at work.
Types of thanksgiving prayers
In the Psalms, the writers thank God for many reasons, often recalling God’s goodness and deliverance to the people.
Psalm 107 is an example of recalling the story God’s protection in hard times, and offering thanks for redemption.
“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts. Psalm 107:21
There are many more types of Thanksgiving prayers—thanking God for who He is, for wisdom, for provision, for healing, for progress in the work, for people, and the list goes on. Gratitude can be expressed any time.
Offering Thanksgiving in the Hard Times
We can choose how we respond to all things in our lives, the good and bad. When it’s hard, it becomes a sacrifice to look beyond the situation to God’s perspective. God sees the beginning and the end, while see only a moment of time.
Knowing God has an eternal perspective produces a heart of thanks to him for everything.
The Bible teaches us to thank God for his presence in the circumstances, not for the circumstances. This is challenging, especially when you face a difficult season of life. When I faced tongue cancer, I didn’t understand it. Yet, I knew God’s peace throughout each biopsy and surgery. In spite of the cancer, God is good and I can still talk.
The prayers of thanksgiving in the Bible teach us how to cultivate a heart of gratitude in everyday life.
As we grow in gratitude, we gain a deeper joy in the Lord.
Judy
Thank you for the reminder! Prayers do so much for everyone we just have to remember to do it!
Nancy Kay Grace
Thanks for commenting! Have a blessed day!