Being Thankful for God’s Daily Provision

Count Your Blessings and Be Thankful Every Day

November is the month when we intentionally pause to count our blessings and give thanks. But the truth is, gratitude isn’t meant for just one month; it’s meant to be our daily posture.

When I started thinking about all the things I’m thankful for, my list got so long I nearly went down a rabbit hole! I finally decided to divide my blessings into categories: family, friends, health, and, of course, those little “extras” that make life comfortable.

What Are the Real Necessities?

That got me thinking, what do we truly need? Most of us would say air, food, water, and shelter. These are the basics, the things required to survive. But even with those, many people still feel something’s missing.

When I thought about necessities, my mind went straight to the Israelites in the wilderness. After leaving Egypt, they wandered into a dry, desolate desert where finding food, water, and shelter would have been nearly impossible. Yet, God provided exactly what they needed.

Exodus 16:4-5 (NIV)
⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

The Israelites might not have been thrilled with the “menu,” but manna sustained them for forty years. God provided what was necessary, even when it wasn’t what they expected.

God’s Creative Provision

Another story that always amazes me is when God provided for Elijah. The Lord sent him to the Kerith Ravine, a remote place where food and water would have been scarce. But even there, God had a plan.

1 Kings 17:2-6 (NIV)
² Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ³ “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. ⁴ You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” ⁵ So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Can you imagine how strange that must have sounded? Ravens bringing meals! It wasn’t steak and lobster, but it was enough to sustain him. God provided everything Elijah needed in a completely unexpected way.

Jesus, the Bread of Life

Food is one of the most tangible ways God shows His care. Time and again, we see His provision through Scripture. Jesus fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish.

Luke 8:1-8 (NIV)
¹During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” ⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” ⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. ⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. ⁸ The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

God doesn’t just meet our needs; He often gives us more than enough.

God Still Provides for Us Today

No, we don’t have manna falling from the sky or ravens dropping off dinner. My food doesn’t multiply in the fridge (though I wish it did, lol!). But God continues to sustain us every single day, just in different ways.

He provides strength when we’re weary, peace when we’re anxious, and wisdom when we’re unsure what to do next. More importantly, He gives us His Word, our spiritual nourishment.

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)
⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

John 6:35 (NIV)
³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Matthew 5:6 (NIV)
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

This Thanksgiving, Let’s Be Truly Thankful

This Thanksgiving, I’ll be thanking God for the food on my table and the people gathered around it. But I also want to remember to be thankful every day for the true Bread of Life, the One who sustains my soul.

The Lord provides for us in every way imaginable, from our daily needs to the eternal promise of His presence. That’s something to be thankful for every single day, not just in November.

To God Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!

Let’s End with a Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being my provider, my sustainer, and my source of strength. You have given me so much more than I deserve. As I count my blessings this Thanksgiving, help me to focus not just on what’s on my table, but on Your Word that feeds my soul. Teach me to see Your provision in every part of my life and to trust that You will always supply what I need.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.