If you’ve ever been in a warehouse, you’ve seen blocks of items stored in bulk on wooden pallets. Heavy plastic bands hold boxes in snug cubes. To simplify storage and retrieval, similar products are bundled together to await distribution.
As Thanksgiving draws near, we might be tempted to try and catch up on giving thanks to God. But with all the gifts He’s given us throughout the year, it can be like visiting a vast warehouse of overlooked blessings. Where on earth do we start?
It may seem best to give “bulk” thanks for entire “pallets” of good things – like family, health, friends, ministry and work – and leave it at that.
It’s impossible to go back and thank Him for the daily surprises God had for us all year. Still, marvelous things await us if we pause to offer more than thankful generalities.
Sometimes, it just takes a few questions to call out the treasures of God’s gifts in our lives. Here are prompts to help you unpack some of the pallets in your storehouse of blessings. When you use these to reflect on God’s gifts – and perhaps even record your thoughts – you’ll uncover rich details to fuel intentional prayers of gratitude.
Family
Sometimes, the closer we are to people, the easier it is to take them for granted. But each one is a collection of blessings to us.
-
Name something you love about each of your children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings.
-
What is the most recent act of kindness you’ve seen each of them do?
-
What funny moment have you shared with each family member?
-
Identify a special characteristic each one possesses and how it contributes to your family, their circle of friends, the world.
Health
Our bodies are miracles. Things go wrong – especially as we age – but there are countless functions operating smoothly at every moment. And those moments allow us to experience more of life and the miracles it holds. Consider your five senses.
-
What is one of your favorite aromas?
-
What sounds make you happy? Relax you? Make you laugh?
-
List sights that warm your heart, exhilarate you, or fill you with awe.
-
Name one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.
-
What’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted?
-
What illness or other health problem has been resolved for you or someone you love during this past year?
Ministry
Using your skills and talents for God’s purposes is rewarding. He wants to use each of us to serve others and glorify Him in our circles of influence. And it doesn’t have to be in a formal program to qualify as ministry.
-
What acts of giving to others do you enjoy? Have you offered words of encouragement? Led someone to the Bible’s truth and shared the Good News of Yeshua?
-
Name some ways you have been blessed by serving others.
Work
It is truly a blessing to find meaning and purpose in your employment. If you are among the fortunate people who love their jobs, you are undoubtedly very grateful. If your current employment is less than satisfying, look for God’s gifts hidden inside the daily tasks of your job.
-
Name one thing you really like about your job.
-
Who is a coworker you enjoy seeing each day? What makes that person pleasant company?
-
How has your current employment helped you grow as a person or in your relationship with God?
Friends
We laugh and share our hearts with them, enjoy hobbies together, and lift one another other up. Each friend is a gift from God.
-
Name the most meaningful thing you share in common with your best friend.
-
What qualities drew you to each of your friends? What makes you feel comfortable with them?
-
List a specific example of how one of your friends helped you through a challenging time.
-
Name a memory you’ve shared with each friend – an adventure, a funny moment, or a heart-to-heart conversation
Whether we schedule a period of solitude to unpack our blessings all at once, or we reflect a little each day, taking time for intentional thankfulness can open our eyes to the “gifts within the gifts” we receive from God.
May your adventure in thanksgiving bring you much joy as you unpack God’s gifts. As you lay them out and examine them, may you thank Him from an overflowing heart and draw closer in sweet fellowship to the One who loves to give.
