Thanksgiving Prayer
LYNN KARNEBOGE
Prayer – that was one part of my spiritual walk that I once thought I had figured out. Of course, it has evolved over the years, starting with kneeling by my bed and praying, “God bless Mother, Daddy, my little sisters, my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.” As my horizons expanded, my list grew to include friends, classmates, my Sunday School teacher, pastor, and all the missionaries. As I became aware of needs, I prayed for healing, wisdom, redemption, and safety. The list grew and the responsibility became weighty as I worried about leaving out a crucial need.
Over the years, I’ve seen God work in powerful ways of healing, restoration, and protection. At times though, individuals I prayed for were not delivered in the way I envisioned. While much of my prayer continues to be for others, I now practice multiple forms of prayer, including prayers of thanksgiving. It has taken some practice and intention, but as I ponder my life, I focus on the precious gifts given from a loving God. I’ve become grateful for the simple delights. Today, for instance, I appreciate the surprise of tiny volunteer impatiens tucked among tall ornamental grass, the healthy beauty of the petunias that I thought deer had destroyed last month, the juicy sweetness of tomatoes harvested in the backyard, the way the heads of the ornamental grass dance in the gentle breeze, and conversations and laughter with valued long-time friends.
Once I changed my focus from what I was doing for God (with my long prayer list) and became attentive to what God was doing for me, it became clear to me how much God loves me. It was then that I understood 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” I realized that I feared disappointing God more than I loved Him. Thanksgiving prayer is really noticing the ways that God loves me.
Quite simply, being thankful changes my attitude. Instead of looking at my to-do list and thinking, “I have to deadhead those zinnias today,” I am reminded that I don’t have to, it’s a choice I have the opportunity to make. Having those bright, bountiful zinnias is a blessing that I don’t take for granted. Ann Voscamp says, “Choosing an attitude of gratitude is how we keep choosing joy!”
I want to be clear that I’m not saying that God rewards gratitude by giving us gifts or that if we say thanks, we will be protected from sadness. I’ve merely learned that getting what I think I want just doesn’t give me the deep contentment that I find in appreciating what I have been given.
Because I am tempted to spend mental focus fretting over past shortcomings, or concerns over what the future might bring, I can miss the present moment. I want to be like Brother Lawrence, whose constant prayer was, “My God, here I am all devoted to Thee.” For me, the only practical way to be aware of God’s presence with me is by practicing gratitude. Praying without ceasing is possible in a life of continual thanks.
In the words of LaVar Burton on Reading Rainbow, “But, you don’t have to take my word for it.” There are brainy, respected people who recognize the value of thanksgiving.
Brené Brown reminds us, “A good life happens when you stop and are grateful for the ordinary moments that so many of us just steamroll over to try to find those extraordinary moments.”
Richard Rohr tells us, “Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. Mature prayer always breaks into gratitude.”
In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor wrote, “When we are happy – when our mindset and mood are positive – we are smarter, more motivated, and thus more successful. Happiness is the center, and success revolves around it.”
Philip Yancey says, “Medical research is discovering that gratitude is the one emotional trait most likely to benefit physical health and recovery. Grateful people tend to be happier and more satisfied with their lives, and may actually live longer.”
What gifts from God do you appreciate?
Lynn Karneboge is a wife to Rich and mother to grown sons, Aaron and Bryan. As a retired primary school teacher, she is able to welcome fall in a way that she just couldn’t for thirty-plus years. She enjoys the continuous miracle of gardening, a true partnership with God. Her natural curiosity and love of her friends make it difficult for her to say no to any book study.