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Have you ever spent time with someone who could only see the worst, no matter the situation? Or, on the other hand, someone who always found the good, even in the most challenging circumstances?
I’m sure we’ve all encountered both types of people at some point. I’ve lived on both sides of the coin. There was a time when I assumed the grass was greener on the other side, no matter how my story unfolded. The enemy wedged me into a corner, and I believed the lies he whispered were true like an endless recording, unwilling to relent. He whispered sad, melancholy, and pessimistic voices. It wasn’t until I became desperate to see life through a different lens that God opened my heart and mind to His presence in my daily life. “...Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 That’s when I experienced a shift where deep gratitude permeated my heart, no matter the season or situation.
I started keeping a gratitude journal many years ago because I was sad, anxious, overwhelmed, and depressed; I needed to wake up. I had to open my eyes to the little moments I was missing—where God’s gifts were already present. I needed to notice what Jesus was doing in my life every day, hour, and moment. At the time, I had no idea where the journey would lead, but I knew it was something I had to commit to. Some days, I wrote a lot, others only a little. It became a practice of training my heart to see with new eyes. It’s similar to marathon training—one foot in front of the other, one step at a time, maybe run a little further each day. The goal is never to fill an entire page or journal. The goal is just one blessing. “Blessing begets blessing,” once I began, it was hard not to add one more.
Gratitude is a powerful tool that empowers us to take control of our mindset and see the world in a different light, to feel genuinely strengthened by God’s presence and guidance every day.
Whether big or small, I began to record everything—every blessing. Looking back at old journal entries, I see simple things like “good books, a delicious meal, early mornings, prayer, a smile, music, and flowers in a jar.” Over the past two decades, I’ve found myself repeating the same blessings over and over again because some things are simply worth repeating. My supportive husband, my beautiful children, and all the other little things that make life rich are the blessings for which I will never stop giving thanks. It's a joy to discover the beauty in everyday life, and it's a joy I wish for all of you to be inspired and uplifted by the simple yet profound beauty that surrounds us.
But how do we practice gratitude when times are tough, and brokenness is real? Can gratitude genuinely exist amid pain?
Gratitude doesn’t mean that life is easy or free of problems. It simply opens our eyes and hearts to catch beauty and goodness where we might usually miss it. As someone once said, “Let’s choose today to quench our thirst for the ‘good life’ we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our own lives. We can then offer the gift of our grateful hearts.”
Life is hard—we all know that. Struggles, sadness, and sorrow are a part of everyone’s journey. While gratitude doesn’t take away the reality of those difficult circumstances, it does something else—it reminds us that not all is lost. Even in the mess, there are glimpses of God’s presence and goodness if we look for them. Gratitude acts as a net, capturing the blessings we might otherwise miss in our pain.
Friends, I encourage you to grab a journal, an old notebook, or a scrap of paper amidst the business of life. Anything will do. Take a moment to jot down one thing you’re grateful for—no matter how small. Even if life is hard, there’s always a blessing waiting for us. What’s one beautiful thing you noticed today? It’s worth taking the time to look for it. And I'd love to hear about it. Share your gratitude journey in the comments below. Let's inspire each other to see the beauty in our everyday lives.
“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” - 2 Corinthians 9:11
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