If you are unsatisfied with your life right now, one of the best things you can do is be thankful. 

Being thankful is not just a feeling. It is actually a deep, beautiful way of living that transforms us from the inside out. It changes us, and it can even change our circumstances!

All of us go through seasons when it feels like everything is working against us. Our hopes and dreams—the things that matter so much—are seemingly put on hold. Fear comes along and starts to whisper:

“This might be it. Maybe this lack is God’s plan for you.”

“You’re always going to struggle with this.”

“You will never see the fulfillment of God’s promise.”

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by pain—physical, emotional, or spiritual—and lose sight of the good. I’ve gone through times when the weight of the world felt unbearable, but as I turned to God with a simple, “Thank You, Lord,” my heart began to change. I have learned that thanking Him changes my whole perspective.

Gratitude & Bold Faith

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Heb. 11:6 NIV)

When we choose to be thankful, we step into faith at a new level. We look beyond the issues and struggles we’re dealing with and recognize that we’re surrounded by God’s goodness.

It’s so easy to focus on what we lack, the pain we’re going through, or the things that frustrate us. But when we intentionally focus on what we do have—our lives, our loved ones, our precious relationship with Jesus, our health, our promises from God, our opportunities—our perspective shifts. Gratitude teaches us to see the very real blessings all around us.

Gratitude is the acknowledgment that no matter what we face, God is good. When we align our hearts with that truth, something powerful happens. The heaviness begins to lift, joy starts to rise, and peace settles in. Certain kinds of breakthrough can come only through gratitude.

A Lifeline in Hard Times

Gratitude isn’t reserved for only the good days, but it is a choice we make even when nothing is going the way we want. It’s an act of faith and great trust, because we recognize that every moment, no matter how challenging, is kept safe in the hands of a loving and sovereign God. 

When I struggle to find hope, my strength returns as I remember who God is. Thanking Him shifts my focus from what is wrong to what is right—and what is right is that He is with me, loving me, guiding me, and providing for me. For me, simply acknowledging God’s presence—thanking Him for His companionship, for His Holy Spirit within me—has been a lifeline in hard times.

The Gratitude Exercise

Here is a small, practical way to practice being thankful.

Every morning when we wake up, it is a new day and a fresh opportunity to experience God’s grace. As we approach Thanksgiving, I encourage you to pause and recognize the good things of God each morning. In those early moments when you first open your eyes, acknowledge God for who He is and what He’s doing. Thank Him for the gift of another day. Thank Him for the breath in your lungs, the love He pours out, His presence with you in all things, etc.

Let gratitude become the foundation of your life. God is our constant. He is our help and our hope. He has never let Leon and me down, and He will never let you down.

Remember, if you are unsatisfied with your life right now—be thankful. May this Thanksgiving, and every day, be filled with gratitude, because that is where real transformation comes from.

Are you having a difficult time being thankful? Do you need prayer? Please send us your prayer request, so we can bless you and stand with you in what God is doing. Click the red button!

Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! For more about His amazing, unending love, check out Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.