What Can We Give Thanks for Other Than Material Things?
As the calendar turns toward November, my heart starts to notice all the little reminders to “be thankful.” It’s on coffee mugs, throw pillows, and social media posts. Gratitude is everywhere. Yet sometimes, if we’re honest, our hearts feel anything but thankful. Especially when life feels heavy. Although we might doubt, God’s word is true!
It’s easy to connect gratitude with material blessings: our homes, our families, our jobs, our health. While those are gifts from God, they aren’t the only things we can thank Him for. In fact, Scripture invites us into a deeper, stronger kind of gratitude—one that isn’t tied to circumstances at all.
When we look beyond what we have, we begin to see who God is. And that changes everything.
1. We Give Thanks for God’s Steadfast Love
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.”
— Psalm 136:1
God’s love isn’t fragile. It doesn’t shift with our moods, mistakes, or seasons of suffering. His love endures—when the diagnosis is uncertain, when the job falls through, when relationships feel strained, when the future feels foggy.
We can give thanks because His love doesn’t depend on us. It rests securely on Him.
2. We Give Thanks for His Presence
Even when He feels silent, He is never absent.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
— Psalm 46:1
Thankfulness grows deeper when we realize we are never walking alone. In the kitchen chaos, late-night worries, and quiet heartbreaks—He is with us. His presence is the gift we often forget, but it is the one we need most.
3. We Give Thanks for His Word
Think of the times Scripture has steadied your heart. Maybe a verse whispered peace into a restless night. Or a psalm reminded you to hope again.
The Bible is not just information—it is nourishment. It’s our compass, our comfort, our correction, and our reminder that God is still writing a good story.
Thank God for that miracle.
4. We Give Thanks for His Faithfulness
We can thank God not only for what He has done, but for what He will do.
“The Lord is faithful in all His words and kind in all His works.”
— Psalm 145:13
Maybe your circumstances haven’t changed. I know that there are sometimes prayers you keep praying that haven’t been answered yet. We know that God’s faithfulness means He is still working, still moving, still holding every detail of your life in His hands.
Thankfulness is a quiet declaration of trust.
5. We Give Thanks for the Hope We Have in Christ
Hope is not wishful thinking. It is an anchor.
We have hope because Jesus came. He conquered sin and death. We have hope because He promises to return.
Hope is not something the world can take away.
Even when everything else feels uncertain—this hope stands firm.
A Prayer for Thanksgiving
Lord, teach my heart to give thanks—
not just for the things I can see,
but for the truths that never change.
Thank You for Your love, Your presence,
Your Word, Your faithfulness, and the hope
I have in Christ.
Help me praise You in every season.
Amen.
