As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, reading a devotional is a great way to get into a gratitude mindset.
This list of nine Thanksgiving devotionals will get you in the right path: with a heart brimming over with thankfulness.
What is a Thanksgiving Devotional?
A thanksgiving devotional is one that focuses on encouraging the reader to guve thanks. Many of them include Scriptures that express praise and worship to God.
Some thanksgiving devotionals also include a daily challenge and prompt you to give thanks for a different thing each day.
3 Reasons to Read Thanksgiving Devotionals
There are several reasons we should take the time to read devotionals about thanksgiving (and not just at Thanksgiving). Here are just a few:
1. Devotionals about gratitude challenge you to practice gratitude. It’s often easier to focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. Gratitude devotionals challenge us to name at least one thing each day that we can give thanks for.
2. Teaches our children to be mindful about their gratitude attitude. Gratitude is not just a skill for adults. It’s one our children should learn as well. Reading thanksgiving devotionals with your family along with modeling a grateful attitude will go a long was in teaching them to be grateful.
3. Produces joy. Gratitude produces joy and who wouldn’t want more joy in their lives. Reading devotionals about gratitude will have an uplifting effect as you remember all that you have to be grateful for.
Free Thanksgiving Devotionals
Many of the thanksgiving devotionals listed below are available for free in the YouVersion app (formerly The Bible App).
1. Giving Thanks to God!
This 3-day Thanksgiving devotional from Jesus.net is an encouragement to choose to be grateful each day. The writer reminds us that we have a choice in how we respond to everything, even those circumstances that are less than ideal.
When we remember what God has already given us, and the fact that we’re still alive to enjoy it, we have reasons to give thanks to God.
2. 7-day Thanksgiving Devotional
This devotional plan created by Dr. Ed Young is a reminder that we have much to be thankful for beginning with the fact that God is good.
Each day’s devotional is short and includes a pointed text giving you lots of time to meditate on the message.
3. The Power of Thanksgiving
This 7-day devotional by the Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale Church reminds us of all the reasons we can be thankful. Using examples from the Bible, readers are given specifics on how we can live with a thankful heart even in great difficulties.
3. The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks
This 7-day Thanksgiving devotional by Moody Publishers is a reminder to focus on all the good things that God has given you instead of on what you’d like to change.
5. Choosing Gratitude
This 10-day thanksgiving devotional by Amy Seiffert reminds us that gratitude is a choice. Every day, readers of this devotional will be prompted to give thanks for a different thing or group of persons in their lives.
We can choose to have a defeated mindset or we can choose to give God thanks regardless of our circumstances.
6. 12 Days of Thanksgiving
This thanksgiving devotional by Shanon Roberts is a reminder that we have many things to be thankful for. Each day the author focuses your attention on one thing that you should thank God for.
The devotional is intended to be read in the days leading up to Thanksgiving with the final one being read on Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving Devotional for Family
Adopting an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving is one that should be the goal for every member in the family. These thanksgiving devotionals will make the practice of gratitude easier as you work through them together.
7. 5 Days to a Grumble-free Home
Grumbling and complaining robs us of our gratitude. This Thanksgiving devotional by Tricia Goyer offers a step-by-step process to remove grumbling from our lives. The Bible passage for each day’s reinforce the challenge or lesson of the day’s devotional.
This thanksgiving devotional is one that can be used by the whole family as you strive towards a more thankful life.
8. Gratitude Devotions for the Month of November
These printable Thanksgiving devotions from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls are designed to be read during the month of November. Each day of this printable Thanksgiving devotion includes a Scripture and a couple of questions to get you ans your family talking about what it means to give thanks.
Download the free printable Thanksgiving Devotions.
9. Keys for Kids: Count Your Blessings
This 7-day gratitude devotional from Keys for Kids Ministries begins with a short story that illustrates the day’s theme.
Then, each daily devotional zeroes in on the issue pointing readers to Scripture for answers.
You’ll find yourself looking forward to each day’s story as much as your children do. Plus, the day’s key could be used as a challenge for you and your family to praise God.
Having an attitude of gratitude is important for every believer but sometimes we need something to kick-start our praise. These thanksgiving devotionals are a great way to start and will help us get our praise on.
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