Just so we know the scene here, it’s when Jesus had delayed coming to the aid of Lazarus and he was in the grave. Martha and Mary had both said that if He would have been there, then their brother might not have died. Jesus, knowing he was about to do something to shake the boundaries of reality, still took time to add a prayer of thanksgiving in his rhythm of prayer. 

As we continue learning from the prayer life of Jesus, we see another powerful habit: He prayed with thanksgiving.

In John 11, Jesus stands outside the tomb of Lazarus. Grief surrounds Him. A stone seals the grave. In just a few moments, He will perform one of the greatest miracles recorded in Scripture, but before the miracle comes, Jesus prays. And the first words out of His mouth are gratitude:

“Father, thank you for hearing me.”

Jesus thanks the Father before Lazarus walks out of the tomb.

This reveals something important about the heart of Jesus’ prayer life. His thanksgiving was not based on what had already happened, it was rooted in His confidence in the Father. Jesus knew He was heard, and that assurance shaped the way He prayed.

Thanksgiving does something powerful in our own prayer lives as well. Gratitude shifts our focus away from our circumstances and places it back on the faithfulness of God. When we thank God before the answer comes, we are expressing trust in His character and His timing.

This emphasis on gratitude in prayer was something deeply emphasized by John Wesley as well. Wesley believed thanksgiving was essential to a vibrant prayer life. He wrote:

“Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it.”

For Wesley, prayer was not simply bringing requests before God—it was cultivating a heart that continually recognized and celebrated God’s grace. A grateful heart keeps us aware of God’s presence and activity in our lives.

Wesley also warned that gratitude protects our hearts from spiritual dryness. He wrote:

“The best way to increase gratitude is to observe attentively the many blessings we continually receive.”

In other words, the more we notice what God is already doing, the more naturally thanksgiving flows from our hearts. Jesus modeled this beautifully at Lazarus’s tomb. Even in a moment surrounded by grief, He acknowledged the Father’s faithfulness.

During this season of prayer and fasting, make thanksgiving a regular part of your prayers. Thank God for what He has already done in your life. Thank Him for the prayers He has answered. And thank Him in faith for the things you are still believing Him to do. Gratitude strengthens faith because it reminds us that the God who has been faithful in the past will be faithful again.

Today, spend time thanking God for prayers He has already answered, and express faith for the prayers you are currently bringing to Him.

Prayer focus

Father,

Thank You for hearing me every time I pray. Thank You for the countless ways You have already shown Your faithfulness in my life. Teach me to approach You with a heart full of gratitude. Even before I see the answers to my prayers, help me trust Your goodness and thank You in faith. Let thanksgiving shape my prayers and deepen my confidence in Your love and power.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.