Why Practicing Thankfulness Prepares Your Heart for Advent

May 28

As November sweeps across our calendars and the talk turns to Thanksgiving, it’s easy to think you’re just heading for a day with family, maybe some pie, and a few shared prayers. But what if this season of gratitude could plant something deeper in your heart—something that sets the groundwork for the wonder of Advent? Advent is more than a countdown to Christmas. It’s a time to wait with hope for Christ’s coming. When you let thankfulness take root, you create a heart that’s ready to receive the fullness of that hope.

I’ve felt it myself: those quiet November mornings when I start my prayers with thanks, my heart feels lighter. Scripture invites you into this rhythm. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4, WEB) As you move from November’s gratitude into December’s expectancy, this post will give you practical tips, biblical wisdom, and encouragement to prepare your heart for the promise of Advent.

Understanding Advent as a Season of Expectancy

Advent marks the start of the Christian year. It’s four weeks set aside to remember that light is coming—the light of Christ. During this season, you’re not just counting days; you’re waiting with hope. Expectancy isn’t wishful thinking. It’s rooted in God’s promises. Isaiah wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6, WEB). Romans 13:11 calls you to “awake out of sleep; for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.” When you anticipate what God will do, your faith grows, and your patience deepens.

The Biblical Promise of Coming Hope

Scripture points to a King who was promised and who will come again. Advent invites you to sit with those nuggets of hope. I remember one Advent as I read, “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me” (Revelation 22:12, WEB), and it struck me—this isn’t just old prophecy. It’s a promise meant for now. Isaiah 9:6 breathes hope into waiting hearts. You prepare for Christmas not just with decorations but by holding on to these words as living truth.

Why Expectancy Matters in Your Spiritual Walk

Expectancy keeps you awake spiritually. It shapes your choices, even on ordinary days. In 2 Peter 3:12, you’re called to be “looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God.” Living with that anticipation motivates me to keep pressing forward when I’d rather coast. It also helps when things feel slow, reminding you that God hasn’t forgotten His promise.

The Spiritual Power of Thankfulness

Thankfulness isn’t just about feelings. It’s a discipline you practice. “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, WEB) When you shape your life around gratitude, you align yourself with God’s will and open your heart to joy. You choose to remember blessings instead of grumbling over what’s missing. That simple shift can change everything.

Thankfulness Shapes a Grateful Heart

When you stop and thank God for the small things—a warm mug, a child’s laughter, strength for another day—you train your mind to see God’s goodness everywhere. Not long ago, I was struggling. But writing a quick list of small gratitudes helped me spot God’s fingerprints in that tough season. Over time, thankfulness turns into your default setting. That’s the heart Advent longs for.

Thankfulness as Preparation for Joy

Gratitude clears space in your soul for joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, ‘Rejoice!’” (Philippians 4:4, WEB) You prepare to receive Advent joy when you live with a heart that’s already saying “thank you.” As I learned, joy usually sneaks in right behind a grateful thought—it’s never far away.

Connecting November Gratitude to December Expectancy

It’s easy for November’s focus on thankfulness to get left behind once Advent hits. But you can knit them together with small, daily steps rooted in Scripture.

Daily Gratitude Journaling with Scripture

Try this: each day, write down one thing you’re thankful for and pair it with a Bible verse. For example, write, “Today I’m thankful for God’s mercy,” and add, “Bless the Lord, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2, WEB). Before you know it, you’ll have a journal that sings with hope.

Family Thanksgiving Traditions that Point to Advent

Make gratitude your family’s Advent theme. Start a gratitude tree where each leaf holds a blessing or gather at dinner to share ways God provided this year—then talk about what you’re hoping for as Christmas nears. These practices bridge November and December, pointing everyone’s hearts forward.

Practical Ways to Combine Thankfulness and Advent Anticipation

If you blog or lead a ministry, these simple tools can help you blend gratitude with Advent hope in your content and outreach.

Create Advent Devotionals Centered on Gratitude

Plan a four-week devotional. Each day, offer a “thank you” prompt related to a Scripture, and finish with an Advent reflection. Here’s a sample outline:

Week

Theme

Sample Prompt

Thankfulness

What is one way God has provided this week?

Anticipation

What are you hoping for in your heart?

Joy

When did you feel God’s joy recently?

Arrival

Where have you seen Christ’s light lately?

This keeps readers rooted in gratitude while guiding them to look ahead.

Use Social Media to Share Thankfulness Themes

Schedule a daily gratitude post during November, each with a verse or short prayer, then shift to Advent hope in December. Encourage followers to share their blessings using a hashtag, creating a ripple effect of expectancy. I’ve seen those threads of gratitude turn into genuine connections—sometimes all it takes is an honest “thank you, God” to spark encouragement.

What’s Next?

The bridge from thankfulness in November to expectancy in December is more than a calendar flip. It’s a spiritual journey that prepares your heart to receive Christ with open hands and a hopeful spirit. When you practice gratitude, you not only honor God’s goodness (Psalm 100:4) but you also stay awake to His promises (Romans 13:11).

Start your gratitude habit today. Choose to look for God’s love in ordinary moments. As you do, you’re making more room in your heart for the hope and joy of Advent. Keep pressing on, friend—He has so much in store for you.