Are you finding it hard to embrace thankfulness in this season of your life? Is your life riddled with pain, loss, and challenges – making it difficult to see anything worthy of praise? Maybe it has left you pondering: why embrace gratitude in the midst of the unexpected? I have been there too. Discover ten reasons why a grateful heart is crucial to persevering well.
When My Life Turned Upside Down
Have you ever had to watch someone you love suffer? How about your child? You watch the struggle, and yet you can’t fix it. Therefore, the pain seems unbearable, not only for your child but for you, too. You wish more than ever it was you instead of them, and it can overwhelm the soul. After all, aren’t’ Moms supposed to make things better?
You pray, beg, and plead with God to remove it, but the thorn remains.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The pain, the guilt, and the frustration overwhelm you. You move into “fix-it mode,” desperately trying to find a cure as if you were God.
Then you lie in bed and wonder, do I have to open my eyes? Trying hard to wish the reality away, you wonder how you can endure another moment knowing your child is struggling and you can’t fix it.
Maybe your circumstances are different—divorce, death, illness, disability, financial, addiction, or something else, and it doesn’t matter. We all go through unwanted situations in our lives, which have the potential to devour us whole if we aren’t careful.
Why Embrace Gratitude?
As I watched my child suffer, it quickly became apparent this would be a long journey. Mental Illness wasn’t going away. It was here to stay, and I needed to learn to persevere through circumstances beyond my abilities.
Are you going through unwanted circumstances?
One of the invaluable tools was learning to count my blessings as they come daily. I quit waiting for a BIG miracle or victory. Instead, I started naming the small ones with a heart of gratitude.
Life often calls for us to live moment to moment, not day to day. Looking around and noticing the slightest thing to be grateful for will make a difference and change your mindset. In other words, it can be the lady who smiled, the room that is not too cold, the person who was kind on the other end of the phone, or a friend who texted at the right time.
We can shout victory and name it a benefit no matter how small or large the blessing or accomplishment. #gratitude Share on XSlowly but surely, as we embrace what is right, we uncover the many benefits of adopting gratitude in the midst of the unexpected.
“Eyes of gratitude get to see miracles amid the mundane, sovereignty over the storms, and beauty in the broken.”
—Lisa Appelo
Last week, we covered “How to Embrace Gratitude in the Midst of the Unexpected,” but maybe you need to start with “Why embrace gratitude?”
A grateful heart brings many benefits to anyone regardless of their circumstances. However, it is crucial to persevere well in the midst of the unexpected.
10 Reasons to Embrace Gratitude – Even in the Midst of the Unexpected
1. Grateful People Are Happier People
Have you ever noticed happy people seem to be full of thanksgiving? It seems to pour right out of them.
Seeking gratitude can help us to find more joy in the present moment.
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
–Brene Brown
Now, I am not saying this will turn you into a bubbly person while persevering through the mess of life. However, the more you focus on gratitude, the closer you will get to happiness, and isn’t that better than being unhappy?
2. Boosts Our Physical Wellbeing
Focusing on thankfulness has been proven to help us feel better. It can improve our sleep, give us more energy, and even lower our blood pressure.
When amid challenges, we can get run down and develop physical ailments. Practicing gratitude will help to serve as a preventive measure.
“I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength.”
Daniel 2:23 3. Improves Our Emotional Health
Having our thoughts turned toward gratefulness can be a protective factor when stressed. It can reduce our destructive emotions like envy, aggression, and resentment while increasing our positive feelings.
It encourages resilience, which is something we desperately need while enduring.
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
—Zig Ziglar
4. Enhances Our Relationships
Don’t you think someone with a grateful heart is pretty likable? Being thankful will increase your potential for gaining new friendships.
But what about the relationships you already have? Being grateful will enhance those relationships while building more trust. Looking for what you have to be thankful for in those relationships will focus on what is right, not lacking.
“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
—Albert Schweitzer
Practicing gratitude will also increase empathy for others.
“We love because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19 5. Leads to Contentment
We must learn to be content in all circumstances, or we will not persevere. Counting our blessings will help to change our focus from what is wrong to what is right. Gratefulness will decrease the negativity that tends to ruin a life.
6. Supports Recovery
Frequently, a gratitude journal is used as a tool to treat both mental health and physical challenges. Counting our blessings can reduce depressive symptoms and speed recovery from bodily injury.
7. Helps Us to Embrace the Wait
We know waiting is hard. Counting your blessings along the way will make passing the time less exasperating.
8. Hope Soars
Being thankful increases our optimism, which in turn fuels our hope.
9. Life Becomes Valuable
As we develop a habit of having a grateful heart, we begin to see that life is worth living, even in the midst of the unexpected.
“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
–Eckhart Tolle
10. Deepens Your Bond with God **** The Best reason****
“Perhaps nothing helps us make the movement from our little selves to a larger world than remembering God in gratitude. Such a perspective puts God in view in all of life, not just in the moments we set aside for worship or spiritual disciplines. Not just in the moments when life seems easy.”
—Henri Nouwen
Faith – Our faith grows stronger by remembering and thanking God for all He has blessed and done for us.
Don’t forget God never leaves us. Be sure to remember to thank Him for being by your side.
Hope – When we trust God and voice our gratefulness, it gives us hope for a brighter tomorrow. We know He will bring beauty out of the ashes. This attitude helps us from becoming overwhelmed by our current circumstances.
Love – As we acknowledge our gratitude to God for loving us right where we are, it helps us love others in the same way.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
Psalm 118:29 Find out ten reasons why we need to embrace gratitude even in the midst of the unexpected. #gratitude #mareedee Share on XLearning to count my blessings and thanking God for them has been a lifesaver. It has become a lifetime habit that has helped me to endure some pretty incredible circumstances.
Have you developed a habit of gratitude? How has it made a difference?
If you haven’t made it a habit, don’t let me convince you as to “why embrace gratitude.” Give it a whirl this month, and see if it makes a difference.
I am confident having a heart of gratitude will make a difference. Plus, when you adopt an attitude of gratitude, your relationship with God will soar.
How do you answer the question, why embrace gratitude in the midst of the unexpected?
Click here to read last week’s post on “How to Embrace Gratitude in the Midst of the Unexpected.”
Embracing 30 Days of Gratitude
Discover how unlocking the power of thankfulness can help draw you closer to God and bring more joy into your life! Our 30-day gratitude workbook includes daily gratitude prompts, scriptures/quotes, and a place to record your thoughts. Our journal will be available free in November.
Upcoming Talk: How to See Your Hidden Blessings as a Caregiver
Caregiving can be one of life’s most challenging roles. Yet, in the midst of the difficult moments, unexpected blessings are often waiting to be discovered.
That’s why I’m excited to invite you to a special talk titled “How to See Your Hidden Blessings as a Caregiver” with Maree Dee, founder of Embracing Faith & Mental Illness. Maree will share insights from her journey, offering practical wisdom and heartfelt encouragement to help you shift your perspective and find hope in caring for someone with a mental illness.
Embracing Faith & Mental Illness Community
Embracing Faith & Mental Illness is a Christ-centered online community for people who care for someone with a mental illness. We have four unique ways for caregivers to participate. You choose what works best for you.
Click here to discover four unique ways for caregivers to participate.
Maree,
This post had my name on it. After having a lovely Thanksgiving for which I was very grateful, the rug was pulled out from underneath my adult child and repercussion ripples spread out far and wide. Your post kept drawing my mind back to the discipline of embracing gratitude. This is one of those times I need to live moment by moment — thanking God for the small things. Thank you!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev, I am so sorry for your family’s challenges. You are so right; the ripples are far and wide. Praying before I hit send for you and your family as your live moment to moment. That is hard to do at any time of the year, especially during the holidays. Keep that gratitude going; I have no doubt it will help. Blessings, my friend, Maree
Finding the blessings He gives me – even in the hard of a challenge – makes all the difference! Find God’s goodness has been a saving grace for me!
Yes, I am right there with you, Maryleigh.
Love this, Maree! I think you wrote this just for me. 🙂 What you said about giving up on waiting for the BIG miracle and being grateful for all the small things really hit it. It seems counter-intuitive—like our faith should be hoping for the big thing—but I have found that it’s quite the opposite.
Thank you, Ashley, for your beautiful comment. I have also discovered in looking back; the little miracles add up to a mighty big one over time. Blessings, Maree
Great post Maree, yes gratitude definitely makes a difference in so many ways!
Blessings,
Jennifer
Thank you! Your post followed up so well to this post. I am excited to share it tomorrow.
Great post. So many good reasons to be grateful. I may think there is not much to be grateful for, but it never fails, there are always multiple things. We can be experiencing opposites, gratefulness and hard times at the same time. And it works.
Theresa, It sure does work. Gratefulness has helped me tremendously through the hard times. Maree
Gratitude makes all the difference. I began making a special effort to look for gratitude when I started dealing with chronic pain. It definitely make a difference
I am so sorry, Mandy, you have chronic pain, but I am thrilled gratitude has helped. Thank you for sharing. Maree
Maree Dee, you hit it out of the ball park with this! I am loving all of the gratitude across the blogs. I always know when I’m cranky or just feeling sorry for myself, that I am also lacking in gratitude. It is so easy to get caught in the muck of wanting or comparing or just complaining. Gratitude never disappoints.
Crystal, Thank you for your words of encouragement. They mean so much to me. I too am loving the gratitude across the blogs. I am happy I read this right now. I went out to our garage fridge a few minutes ago to get my diet coke and would you believe our refrigerator quit working. Okay so I can survive the hot diet coke but I had made my Costco run yesterday, and my turkey was it. I am going to need to start counting my blessings before I cry.
Now I know there are worst things than having to run to Costco again. Maree
These are great reminders of the little things to be grateful for. And in this case the little things really do add up in a positive way 🙂 I was trying to pick which of the 10 was my favorite and I couldn’t. They all are great and work for the greater good 🙂
Kimberly, You made my heart sing. Thank you for stopping by and leaving such an encouraging comment. Maree
Agree! It’s almost a selfish reason to be grateful bec of all the benefits to ourselves! I’ll share – thanks, Maree
Sue – I love your take on the benefits of being grateful. Good thing in this area it is okay to be selfish. Maree
Grateful people are happier people! That is so true. Thank you for sharing this post it is a great reminder to focus on all the blessings God bestows upon us. Stopping by from Grace & Truth.
Timberley, I am so glad you are stopped by to read my post. You have pointed me back to gratitude in a moment of sulking. I know strange I am the one that wrote the post. Maree
I love the Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote in #9. He is one of my favorite writers. It is difficult to watch anyone suffer, but it is especially difficult to see our children suffer. You are right, as a parent, we think we need to fix things for them, to smooth out all the bumps that life throws at them. Unfortunately, we can’t do that.
Laurie, Yes, you are right we can’t fix everything. I sure wish we could for our children, but then again we wouldn’t need God if we could do it all. My children need God too. Thank you for your insightful comment. Maree
These are great encouragement. I’ve found thanking God for what He is going to do is a powerful way to refocus my attention during difficult or unexpected seasons. Thanks for sharing these. Blessings!
Liz, I love the idea of thanking God beforehand. I have to admit I don’t practice that and will start right now. Maree
November is a great month for noticing all the amazing things God does, day in and day out–the things we take for granted. Thanks for this wonderful invitation into gratitude.
Michele – You are so welcome. I agree it is a great month to notice the things we take for granted. I hope to take the message forward into my year ahead. Maree
“I quit waiting for a BIG blessing or victory” – such a good reminder and safeguard against being discouraged! And of course the talk of “watching” someone suffer is right up my alley 😉
Yes! Plus as we begin to count the small blessings they add up to BIG ones.