5 days
A Grateful Heart
Five days to grow a thankful heart, learning to see and name God’s gifts.
Day 1
Forget none of his gifts
1Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name! 2Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits; 3who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases; 4who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies; 5who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalms 103:1-5WEBRead in contextRead the full chapter World English Bible
Reflection
David calls his own soul to remember every kindness of God.
A guided prayer inspired by today's Scripture
Heavenly Father, thank you that I can come to you just as I am. Every good gift comes from you, and your mercies are new every morning. Would you open my eyes to your goodness and grow a thankful heart in me. I place this in your hands and choose to trust you with what I cannot control. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Faithful action
List five specific things God has given you.
Day 2
Thanks in everything
16Rejoice always. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18WEBRead in contextRead the full chapter World English Bible
Reflection
Not thanks for everything, but thanks in the middle of everything.
A guided prayer inspired by today's Scripture
Heavenly Father, thank you that I can come to you just as I am. Every good gift comes from you, and your mercies are new every morning. Would you open my eyes to your goodness and grow a thankful heart in me. I place this in your hands and choose to trust you with what I cannot control. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Faithful action
Find one thing to thank God for inside a hard situation.
Day 3
Enter with thanksgiving
1Shout for joy to Yahweh, all you lands! 2Serve Yahweh with gladness. Come before his presence with singing. 3Know that Yahweh, he is God. It is he who has made us, and we are his. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name. 5For Yahweh is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalms 100WEBRead in contextRead the full chapter World English Bible
Reflection
A short psalm that turns worship into glad, thankful noise.
A guided prayer inspired by today's Scripture
Heavenly Father, thank you that I can come to you just as I am. Every good gift comes from you, and your mercies are new every morning. Would you open my eyes to your goodness and grow a thankful heart in me. I place this in your hands and choose to trust you with what I cannot control. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Faithful action
Say or sing one line of thanks out loud today.
Day 4
Whatever you do, give thanks
15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. 17Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.
Colossians 3:15-17WEBRead in contextRead the full chapter World English Bible
Reflection
Gratitude becomes the atmosphere of an ordinary day.
A guided prayer inspired by today's Scripture
Heavenly Father, thank you that I can come to you just as I am. Every good gift comes from you, and your mercies are new every morning. Would you open my eyes to your goodness and grow a thankful heart in me. I place this in your hands and choose to trust you with what I cannot control. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Faithful action
Add a short ‘thank you’ before one ordinary task.
Day 5
The one who returned
11As he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. 13They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. 15One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. 17Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” 19Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”
Luke 17:11-19WEBRead in contextRead the full chapter World English Bible
Reflection
Ten were healed; one came back. Gratitude is a road worth walking back.
A guided prayer inspired by today's Scripture
Heavenly Father, thank you that I can come to you just as I am. Every good gift comes from you, and your mercies are new every morning. Would you open my eyes to your goodness and grow a thankful heart in me. I place this in your hands and choose to trust you with what I cannot control. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Faithful action
Go back and thank one person you never properly thanked.