Spiritual Practice: Thankfulness
Coming home this weekend after a short trip, I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude—not for something grand, but for something simple: being home. The safety of the return, the peace of familiar walls, the small mercies waiting for me in my own space. And I realized—it was God who brought us back safely. God who watched over what we left behind. And God who reminds me that home isn’t just a place, but a presence. In Him, I’m truly at home.
It struck me how often I forget to thank Him for things like this. Not because I’m ungrateful—but because they’re so regular, so normal, that they fade into the background. But God’s goodness doesn’t require grandeur to be worthy of thanks.
The Practice of Giving Thanks
Thankfulness isn’t just something we feel when good things happen. It’s a posture—a way of seeing the world and responding to it with trust.
Paul wrote, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). That doesn’t mean we’re thankful for everything. But we are invited to be thankful in everything—to notice God’s nearness, goodness, and provision, even in the in-between spaces of life. That is what makes it a practice.
Thankfulness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s a quiet breath, a whispered acknowledgment, a still moment of awareness: God, You’re here. And I’m grateful.
What We Often Forget
There are so many things we forget to thank God for.
A good night’s sleep. Clean water. Safe travel. Food that nourishes. A moment of laughter. The right word at the right time. Even the ability to get up and do ordinary things. These are gifts we overlook, because they don’t always seem extraordinary. But they are.
The truth is, we can’t thank God for what we don’t notice. So the practice of thankfulness begins with attentiveness—with slowing down long enough to see the goodness that’s already there.
And when we start seeing it, we realize how present He’s been all along. And it is so easy to be thankful to Him.
Jesus Gave Thanks Often
Jesus modeled a life of thankfulness, not just in major moments but in daily rhythms. He gave thanks before meals (John 6:11). He thanked the Father in public prayer (John 11:41). He praised God for revealing truth, even amid rejection (Matthew 11:25–26).
His gratitude was woven into a life of dependence and communion with the Father. It wasn’t conditional—it was relational. And we’re invited into that same rhythm.
Learning to Practice Thankfulness
The more we practice giving thanks, the more natural it becomes.
Maybe you pause before dinner and say a real, quiet thank You. Maybe you start a list of small joys—a cool breeze, a kind word, a candle flickering on the counter. Maybe you whisper thanks while folding laundry or walking the dog.
Not everything in life feels worthy of celebration. But the practice of thankfulness doesn’t require everything to be good. It just calls us to trust that God is.
And that trust changes us. Gratitude softens our hearts. It draws our attention to God’s presence. It helps us live with open hands and an expectant spirit. It reminds us that He is faithful.
Even in the ordinary. Especially in the ordinary.
A Prayer for Thankfulness
Lord, I don’t want to overlook Your goodness. Help me see what I’ve forgotten to thank You for.
Teach me to slow down and notice, to trace Your fingerprints in the small moments.
Fill my heart with gratitude, not just when life is easy, but even when it’s quiet, uncertain, or mundane.
Let thankfulness become the way I walk with You. Amen.
Reflection Question:
What’s one simple gift you often forget to thank God for? How might you begin to notice it this week?
This post is part of our Spiritual Practices series. For November, we’ve created a prayer-based gratitude plan—30 overlooked things to thank God for. You can download it for free in the resource library by subscribing below.
