Prayer of gratitude for all my blessings

There are times when a cloud of gloom settles over our days, blocking out the light and plunging us into the darkness of despair and hopelessness. In times like this, we feel like we’re drowning in a sea of worries, and it doesn’t seem like we’ll resurface anytime soon. 

When despair and misery reign over our hearts, gratitude becomes difficult. It’s hard to think of things to be grateful for when we’re juggling so many problems. But we can take a few minutes to take a step back and truly observe the world around us and even ourselves. There are countless blessings to thank God for through a prayer of gratitude: life, the air we breathe, the family we have, the friendships we formed, the privileges we enjoy, the basic necessities that keep us alive and healthy. 

Prayer for Gratitude

Our Heavenly Provider and Friend,

Great is Your faithfulness through the ages, through all the seasons of hardship and abundance that I’ve weathered. You’ve comforted me through my sorrows and opened my hands when you rained an abundance of blessings into my life. Forgive me for the times I’ve fallen short of Your glory and stained my honor. I ask not only for mercy and redemption but for Your guidance as well. Transform me into a better person, dear Lord, for I have placed my faith in Jesus, my one and only savior. 

I do not know where to begin thanking you; my mouth would run dry, and my time on Earth would run out if I were to thank You for every blessing, grace, and miracle that You’ve graciously bestowed upon my humble life and those of my family members and friends. Thank You for their presence in my life, O Lord. They have stayed by my side during life’s adversities, offering whatever help, resources, or words of wisdom they could give. I pray that You will bless them with good health and happiness, that the good and honest desires of their hearts will be granted so that they can continue to touch the lives of others with kindness. 

Thank You for the wonderful things I get to see everyday: the beauty of nature, the smiles on the faces of strangers, the brightly shining sun, and the comforting sound of rain. Thank You for every success I’ve celebrated in life: in school, career, and even in my personal growth. I am beyond grateful to have a livelihood through which I can provide for the needs of my family. Most of all, I am grateful to have You in my life—to know Your name and the great wonders You’ve done and to have the freedom to praise You without fear of judgment. 

There are many more blessings to thank You for, and they are as countless as the stars in the night sky. Your grace never fails to amaze me, O God. May You continue to bless us each day with protection, happiness, and provision. May the years ahead provide many opportunities for us to nurture our faith and connection with You. 

Amen. 

Short prayer of gratitude for all my blessings

Gracious God, through this prayer of thanks, I praise Your gracious and beautiful name for all the blessings You’ve given me and my loved ones: life, happiness, success, provision, and many more. The greatest gift of all is eternal life through Christ Jesus, a gift that we honor with unquestioned faith in Him as our savior. Please continue to protect and provide for our needs each day. May we remain ever faithful to You, our Eternal King. Amen. 

The Word of God

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:15-16 NRSVUE

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

Psalm 107:21-22 NRSVUE

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 NRSVUE

Intercessory prayer to Saint Faustina Kowalska

Blessed Saint Faustina,

I offer you this prayer for gratitude with a heart overflowing with love and happiness, for the Lord has truly been gracious and generous with my loved ones and me. 

I am only a sinner, imperfect and impure, stained with countless sins. Who am I, that the King of kings would shower me with beautiful gifts and protect me from evil and danger? Carry my praises of thanksgiving to His majestic throne in heaven. No amount of singing can ever do justice to the blessedness of my life, and I swear to serve forever and praise Him and preach the Gospel to the nations.

I thank Him for the gift of life, not just the one I have here on Earth but also the eternal life He has promised me as long as I believe in Him. I thank Him for giving me a loving family and the most loyal friends. I thank Him for my career, my education, my hobbies, and every life experience that taught me valuable lessons. 

May His goodness touch the lives of His people, especially the sick, the suffering, the hungry, the homeless, and the despairing. May He shine the light of His glory upon them and bless them abundantly according to their needs. May every soul on Earth go out into the streets and sing praises to His name, for He has blessed the world with a sacrifice and the magnificent gift of salvation and eternal life through His son Jesus Christ, who bled on the cross and washed our guilt away. 

Saint Faustina, pray for us. Amen.

Further reflection

Gratitude is a beautiful feeling. Once we know we’re blessed, that all our needs are sufficiently provided for, and we can count on the people we love in times of need, we feel happy and fulfilled. Then, even when times are tough, fear barely makes a scratch through our shield of hope and peace of mind, and misery becomes a rarity. 

Making gratitude a daily habit can not only help us start each day with a smile, but also improve our overall mood and outlook on life. We can exercise this in different ways: keeping a gratitude journal, taking the time to talk to our family and friends and thank them for all the things they do, or even sharing our God-given blessings by donating to a local charity or a cause we support. 

Once we’ve integrated the habit of gratitude into our daily life, we’ll find ourselves happier and more optimistic than before, even in stressful times. We’ll wake up each morning feeling energized and excited for the day ahead, and come home exhausted but feeling fulfilled. Our eyes will genuinely open, and we’ll see the beauty in the smallest blessings and the valuable lessons learned from every challenge of life. God’s grace is amazing, and His love is marvelous.