There are days when gratitude feels natural.
The sun hits just right. The coffee’s warm. The kids laugh at breakfast.
You can see God’s goodness everywhere you look.
And then there are days when “thank you” feels like a foreign language.
The world feels overwhelming, your to-do list never ends, and your heart is too tired to reach for hope. On days like these, gratitude can seem like pretending, as if you are trying to believe something you do not really feel. In these moments, try a simple gratitude practice: take a deep breath, and silently say or write down a one-sentence prayer of thanks for something small, like the warmth of your sweater or a recent smile from a stranger. This small act can open space for genuine gratitude to grow, even in difficult times. As the psalmist says, 'I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth' (Psalm 34:1), reminding us to find gratitude even when it seems elusive. Similarly, Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us: 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' Let this be a guiding scripture to embrace gratitude amidst life’s challenges.
But maybe that’s not what gratitude is at all.
Maybe it is not about pretending; it is about pausing.
It’s about saying:
“I don’t understand this yet… but thank You for being here in it.”
“I’m still waiting… but thank You for not leaving.”
“This hurts… but thank You that it won’t last forever.”
Maybe gratitude is the quiet courage to keep seeing any light at all when life feels dim.
I’ve learned that gratitude doesn’t need grandeur. It grows in the cracks, in ordinary dinners, in tired smiles, and in the small mercies that keep us going. I remember once facing a challenging week, with deadlines piling up and the pressure of commitments overwhelming me. One evening, as I sat at the kitchen table, exhausted and disheartened, my daughter came up to me with a drawing she had made. It was a simple picture full of bright colors, and she proudly colored within the lines. She said, "I made this for you to feel better." In that moment, the weight of the day lifted a little, and I found a sparkling moment of gratitude amidst the chaos. Just like when Jesus gave thanks for the five loaves and two fish, gratitude can come from appreciating what seems insufficient but becomes abundant in the right hands.
When we whisper thank You in those moments, we’re not forcing joy.
We’re practicing trust.
Because even in the mundane and the messy, even when our faith is frayed and our hope is worn thin, God is still at work.
And our small, stumbling thank-yous are part of that healing.
So today, don't wait for perfect peace to say thank You. Instead, try establishing a simple daily gratitude practice to weave thanks into your routine. Consider taking a moment each evening before bed to jot down three things you are grateful for in a journal, or perhaps say a quick prayer of thanks for the day's small blessings. This habit can nurture a mindset of thankfulness amidst life's daily hustle and bustle. Say it right in the middle of the noise. Say it with cracked hands and sleepy eyes. Say it because gratitude is not about how we feel.
It’s about remembering Who holds us when we can’t hold everything else. God is near, even when we feel weak. His presence offers a gentle assurance and reminds us that we’re never alone in our struggles.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:18