A Prayer for Thankfulness in Times of Pain

November 5, 2012 in Jesus & faith, suffering with 9 Comments

Father God,

We acknowledge that you are the giver of all good things. We live and breathe because of you. From your hands, You supply all that we need and so much more. But we confess that sometimes we are:

ungrateful…

unthankful…

selfish…

sinful…

hurting people…

I confess that at times I don’t see all the gifts you have given, are giving, and continue to give in my life. I confess that my ungratefulness at times has left me angry, bitter, and wanting. My unthankfulness has made me blind to all that I have. And even as I approach this Thanksgiving, I know my heart needs radical change.

Some of us are unthankful because we’ve experienced a great amount of pain and suffering this year. We’ve lost loved ones and unborn children. Our marriages and relationships are broken. We’re dealing with sickness, injustice, and depression. We’re struggling financially and need a miracle. Circumstances don’t seem to be in our favor. Ever. Some of us wonder why in the world you work the way that you do.

I confess that at times I have caused my own pain and have projected that hurt onto other people.

God, help us to lean into your grace when we’re weak and feel like giving up. Because Lord we are so frail apart from you. Help us to give you thanks because when we choose not to we know that our wounds and pain only grow deeper.

Will you teach us and show us that you are good regardless of the pain and hurt we may feel in this life? You are worthy to be praised in the valley and on the mountaintop. Remind us that you still:

turn ashes into beauty.

instill life into dead bones.

give the oil of joy for mourning.

soften the hardest of hearts.

change sinners into saints.

transform brokenness into wholeness.

wash our sins and make them white as snow.

redeem and restore the years the enemy has stolen.

And let us remember that you have already endured the ultimate shame and suffering on the cross for your glory and our good. Help us to persevere to the end until we see you face to face.

In the meantime, may today, this week and all of November give us a renewed sense of genuine Thanksgiving in each of our hearts regardless of our circumstances. We love you.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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About Samantha Krieger: I'm passionate about helping others live out their faith in everyday life. I write articles and contribute to books on spiritual growth & Christian living. I live in Dallas with my husband and three kids.

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  • Tracy Steel

    Beautiful. Amen and I thank you for putting words into my heart on a morning where I struggle finding them. My mother passed October 8. This morning I miss her. So thank you, thank you!

    • samanthakrieger

      I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your mother :( that brings tears to my eyes. I will be especially praying for and thinking of you today. thank you for your sweet words, Tracy.

  • http://danielleayersjones.com/ danielle

    A good reminder as we enter November, and always!

    • samanthakrieger

      thanks Danielle. I was thinking of you today regarding your thankfulness tree :)

  • http://twitter.com/Vaderalman Mark Allman

    It is hard to see through the pain and struggles sometimes. Even ones our own making and some not. It is hard not to ask those why questions. Sometimes I question where is the abundant life and wonder if I do not understand what that really means.

  • Jo

    Your wonderful call to thanksgiving, Samantha, reminded me of the responses of Job, Paul and Silas in the Holy Bible to excruciatingly difficult circumstances.On rare ocasions we are forced to face up to heart breaking losses. Job endured such a moment when he was informed that all ten of his children were no longer alive: What was Job’s response to this life-changing loss?

    Let’s aspire to have the same witness as Job had should harrowing times befall us.When unasked for adversity knocks us off our feet, let us decide to dig deep and be thankful to Almighty God.

    Let us also sing and make music in our heart as Paul and Silas did to the Lord. It will require a huge effort especially if our suffering is debilitating. Truly, friends, when we honour God by blessing his
    name our chains will fall off and our powerful witness will be that
    God is wth us! What a wonderful Lord we worship and serve.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Leslie.Edwards4 Leslie Edwards

    Great!! I needed to read this:)

    • samanthakrieger

      Thank you for reading Leslie!

  • Josef Sefton

    Thank you, Irving, for sharing this very insightful and very good poem. What a blessing the gift of thankfulness is.

    Let’s turn to Luke Chapter 17:11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Lk 17:12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance Lk 17:13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Lk 17:14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
    Lk 17:15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. Lk 17:16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Lk 17:17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Lk 17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Lk 17:19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

    Friends, these verses have always made a dèep impression on me. Truly expressing thankfulness is God’s will and glorifies God. On the other hand Cain wasn’t thankful toward God for the gift of his brother Abel. This grave attitudinal error would culminate in the first shedding of human blood by a human being.

    Let’s commit ourselves to be thankful daily before both God and man, for all disobedience and rebellion has threads of ingratitude laced into it.

    Ro 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Ro 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

    By entering into God’s service of having and showing an attitude of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, thankfulness will always blossom.