Keeping a Gratitude Journal

Traditionally, Thanksgiving Day is a food-filled celebration associated with expressing gratitude to God for the harvest of His bounty. As we prepare for 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.

Has something happened in your life that just 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 some difficult thing 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 keeping 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:

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 that He gave to His people: safety, family, life, deliverance. The Almighty has done wonders for you too!

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 season.

RESPOND:

And now, O Lord, I bow before You with a heart of grat­itude. 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:

Finding God's Path Through Your Trials acknowledges the hard times we all face and reveals how people can "count it all joy".

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).