Finding Gratitude in the Dark
This is the time to be extra thankful, right? November . . . the month of Gratitude.
The truth is, finding gratitude when your circumstances have overwhelmed you or when you’re overcome by stress and anxiety can be hard. Add to that the guilt that comes, knowing you should be happier because you have so much more than most, and this time of year can be a real challenge.
If this is you, I want to bring you some encouragement today.
Number One: You are not alone. So many people are overwhelmed with anxiety, stress, and debilitating circumstances right now. Depression is at an all-time high as people try to stay afloat and keep their families in tact. Finances are tight, health is back and forth, you name it - it's a lot to deal with. The covid storm may have passed, but the repercussions of it are starting to really impact peoples’ lives. Plates are overflowing and people are stretched - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Number Two: You’re not a bad person if you’re struggling to find gratitude right now. Just because this month hosts a holiday with the word “Thanks” in it doesn’t automatically flip your life and fill your heart. Most likely, you know you have a lot to be thankful for, you’re just so worn out you can’t quiet your heart enough to enjoy it. You are NOT a bad person . . . you’re a weary person.
Number Three: Gratitude is not a holiday, it’s not single month, it’s not 30 days of posts on social media. Gratitude is so much more than that. Gratitude is something you feel, not something you create. It’s a heart posture, not a list. It’s a deep recognition of awe, not of “I’m supposed to”. Gratitude has no boundaries, no requisites.
It’s not easy to keep our circumstances from affecting our mood, our daily function, and how we respond to people and situations, but it is possible. Talking to someone, seeking counsel, and making space for daily time in the Word can all help. One thing is certain - you have an enemy that is seeking not just to wreck your day and steal your joy, but to destroy you. He will kick you when you’re down, drown you in wave after wave of hardships, and stay on you until you give up OR until you force him out.
When I’ve been in difficult times of overwhelming sorrow or circumstantial stress, my only solace was found in daily reading of my Bible. It gave me peace, filled me up, and was a constant word in my ear when I started to feel like I was sinking. I chose to wake up every single day and say this verse over and over :
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 ESV
I may not have felt glad. I may not have wanted to rejoice. In fact, 95% of the time, I didn’t want to even get out of bed. But I did. And I stood up and I grumbled that verse to myself over and over in my head and out loud. I did it every day, and each day got a little easier. Each day, I started to take notice of all that I had to be grateful for. Sure I knew in my mind what I had to be grateful for, but I didn’t feel it in my heart or in my body. But as I let this verse take root in my spirit, I started to FEEL gratitude. I didn’t just see things I knew I should be thankful for, I became overwhelmingly grateful for mundane things like a working dishwasher, a car that didn’t break down, a washing machine that worked, my closet full of clothes, blankets. It may sound silly, but when my heart started feeling gratitude at these small things, I couldn’t help but pour out my thanks to God for ALL the things He had given me - including a way out of my circumstances.
My daily verse repetition turned into more and more time in the Word, worship music in my car, and a constant reminding of myself that I would get through it all and that I wasn’t alone. My sorrow and depression turned into a burning desire to overcome. Gratitude wasn’t just a word - it became a weapon I used against everything trying to pull me down.
Some days were harder than others. My circumstances didn’t improve quickly- heck, I still battle. I had to learn to rely on God alone. I had to come to the realization that I didn’t have what it took to overcome my situations - only He did. That’s a really hard pill to swallow when you’re a control freak and used to dictating how things should go. But I knew that each day was made by God, and each day I woke up meant He had something for me within it. I had to remind myself sometimes hour by hour, that I had something worth battling for.
If you can relate, or if you are in some really hard circumstances, reach out. Talk to others, seek counsel, but make God and His Word a daily part of your life. Immerse yourself in His Truth and Love. Walk in step with Him, bring your sorrows to Him, ask Him to fill you with His peace. He will open your eyes to all that you have to be grateful for, and you will not be able to help but feel it deep down in your bones. Lift your eyes, keep them locked on Him.
Here are a few Scriptures to get you started.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Psalm 107:1
Lamentations 3:23
James 1:2-4
Psalm 62
Remember . . . this month the world and all the social medias are ablaze with posts and nuggets about Gratitude. But really it’s a year-round, 24/7 kind of thing. It’s not just recognizing what you’ve got, but knowing that without it all, you’re still loved and you still have so much worth fighting for. He is all you need - and that’s enough to be grateful for.