A Beautiful Prayer of Gratitude

Paul always encouraged and instructed the early Christians; he wrote a letter urging them always to rejoice and give thanks. Gratitude should and will always be part of a Christian’s life. We have lots of room in our hearts for gratitude but not a single place for grumbling and complaining. Let’s explore more on the above topic

What do you pray for in hard times?

Praying a prayer of gratitude to God is not just for the good times or good seasons that we have in life. It is also for the hard ones. It is even more important to pray prayers of gratitude when things aren’t going well in our lives. That also means that it is very important for us to have a grateful heart amid the hardships we are going through in our current season in life.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

You can use this prayer as your guide as you pray during a season of hardship:

Father in heaven, I pray that gratitude will rule in my heart instead of grumbling and complaining. I thank You, Father, because, despite the hardships that I am going through, there are still more things for which I can be thankful. Even in the season of adversity, I can be content in Christ and still have joy. Therefore, I shall rejoice in the Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

When you read the Bible, you may think that the early Christians, who Paul always advised to give thanks, had everything going well in their lives. But actually, that was not the case. The early Christians faced great hardships in their lives, including the persecution against them. But despite the hardships that they went through, they didn’t grumble or complain. Instead, they rejoiced in the Lord, worshipping and giving praises to Him and thanks.

How do you pray with a thankful heart?

No matter what you are going through right now, there is always something to be grateful for. We tend to overlook things and fail to realize that we wouldn’t make it where we are right now without them. For example, some people complain that they don’t have the latest brand-name clothes, overlooking and failing to be thankful that they can still eat and have a roof over their heads. Being grateful at heart is giving thanks to God for everything He has provided us, and not complaining about the things we don’t have. Because if not for His grace and mercy, we wouldn’t have anything at all—even the oxygen we breathe. We are also reminded that, ultimately, Christ is our joy and greatest treasure, knowing that we can still be content and grateful no matter what season we are going through.

Psalm 9:1

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Here is one prayer you can add as you express your gratitude toward God:

Father, I thank You because I have life. You are gracious. I am alive because You are merciful, and I am provided for because of Your grace. It is only through Christ and His work on the cross that I became a recipient of your grace, mercy, and love. I thank You, Father, for the things you have provided for me. I still have clothes to wear, food to eat, and a shelter to live in. In Christ, I am content because He is my greatest treasure; in Him, I have found unsearchable riches. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The ultimate reason we can still have a grateful heart amid the adversities that we are going through is the life and sacrifice of Christ. Christ has brought joy to us. The grace we have received from Christ, which produces joy in us, enables us to praise, worship, and thank God. That is why the Bible speaks about joy and not happiness. Joy is hinged on Christ, while happiness is hinged on life’s circumstances.