Pray October Day 31 – Prayer for Thankfulness

Pray October

Prepared by Pastor Calvin Cook

Day 31: Prayer of Thanksgiving
‭‭ Thankfulness in All Things

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” — Psalm 100:4

As we come to the end of these 31 days of prayer, it’s easy to look back and examine each prayer, wondering if they were answered the way we hoped. Some prayers may have felt left open, and others may not have received the answers we wanted. But as Psalm 100:4 reminds us, we are called to approach God with thanksgiving, not just because He gives, but because of who He is.

Sometimes, the answers we receive are unexpected or even disappointing. But God, in His wisdom, uses those very answers to refine us, build our faith, and draw us closer to Him. God isn’t just interested in the specific destination of our desires; He is interested in who we are becoming along the way. It is not about every detail of the journey, but rather where that journey has brought us: closer to His heart.

This journey has had mountain top highs and deep valleys of despair. But through it all, every step God has been there. I give thanks for God’s faithfulness and pray I can be faithful as well. My soul goal was to return to the heart of prayer, communicating with God in the most intimate of ways, through the most interesting of times.

As we end these days of prayer, let us shift our focus from the “what” of our prayers to the “why.” Was our ultimate hope to get specific answers, or was it to grow stronger in our faith and deepen our intimacy with God? Today, let us celebrate that we have arrived at a place of greater closeness with Him—a place of trust, peace, and love.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for bringing us through this journey of prayer. Though not all answers came as we expected, we are grateful for every moment that has brought us closer to You. Help us to trust in Your wisdom and find joy in Your presence, knowing that You are with us. Let gratitude flow from our hearts, not because we got what we wanted, but because we are exactly where we need to be—with You. Amen