Keeping a Gratitude Journal

Traditionally, Thanksgiving Day is a food-filled celebration associated with expressing gratitude to God for the harvest of His bounty. So, let’s praise God this Thanksgiving Day—in the midst of our food prepping, house cleaning, and entertaining, let’s pause, bow our head before God who is mighty, and note some of the great things He’s done for us…both in good times and in rough seasons!

In All Seasons

Maybe something has happened in your life that doesn’t make sense. Are you facing a Thanksgiving Day that is not full of celebration? Has this been a tough year for you and your family? Maybe you couldn’t understand how a loving God could let something like that hap­pen to you or a loved one. Well, you are not alone.

Most people have events happen that are difficult or impossible to understand.Rather than question the Father, it will help us to lift our hearts and “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  

Keeping a Gratitude Journal

A great place to start giving thanks is through a gratitude journal. Each day, write down:

1. Bible Verses. Write out Bible verses on praise and thanks. Here are some scriptures to help get you started:

• I will give thanks to the Lord… and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High (Psalm 7:17).
• Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name(Psalm 30:4).
• Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him (Psalm 33:1).
• I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1).

2. Answered prayers. It’s so easy to ask God for His help and then forget to show Him gratitude for it. Be diligent to acknowledge His goodness.
   
   
3. Blessings. Make note of the blessings you have in Christ. A reading through the Old Testament shows many of God’s rich and miraculous blessings He gave His own: safety, family, life, deliverance. The Almighty has done wonders for you too!

• We become Christians by God’s grace, through His unmerited favor.
• We can’t buy salvation. We can’t earn eternal life. All that God offers in a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ comes to us as a free gift.
• We have all that we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
• And what’s also amazing is that God hears and answers our prayers!

Even if life is difficult right now, lift your voice in joy because of the hope you have in Christ.Rejoice that either here or in heaven, depending on God’s appointed time, you’ll experience the full, unimaginable blessing of His wonderful promises completely fulfilled.

Jim and I thank God for you and pray that you have a blessed and peace-filled holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

RESPOND

And now, O Lord, I bow before You with a heart of grat­itude. In the words of King David, I marvel “Who am I, O Lord God” that You have blessed me so abundantly? For Your salvation, for the forgiveness of my sins, for my family and church, I offer You inadequate but sin­cere praise and thanksgiving. Thank You, dear Lord! Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES 

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REFLECT

Create a gratitude journal for you to record your thanks to God in throughout the year. You can also create a prayer journal. 

REMEMBER

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).