Two Truths and a Lie about Gratitude
I grimaced. After a stressful forty-minute drive, I was upset.
The nurse had just told me, “I’m so sorry, but your appointment is next week.” He locked eyes with me, and his smile disappeared.
I held my breath. “That’s ok,” I responded. The nurse apologized again, and we parted ways.
I wheeled my sleeping baby out of the clinic and jammed his stroller into the trunk. My mind raced. They were the ones who called me about this. I don’t have time to reschedule. I deserve an appointment.
I turned out of the parking lot and felt my phone buzz.
My husband called, “How was your day?”
“Good,” I mumbled.
“You don’t sound very good,” he chuckled.
He was right. I wasn’t doing well, and I wasn’t happy. Like so many other days, I felt entitled to life going smoothly. Didn’t I have a right to be upset about all the wasted time and inconvenience? Did I really have to be grateful in all circumstances?[1]
Maybe you’ve felt the same way. From days gone wrong to longer, deeper seasons of adversity, we can all count times when gratitude has seemed impossible. How can we wrestle against feelings of discontentment? Here are two truths and a lie to help us grow in gratitude—no matter what we’re facing today.
Truth: Gratitude Is a Choice
The psalmists knew this, despite their turbulent lifetimes. Their psalms are filled with reminders to thank the Lord; it’s an expectation, an anthem. For instance, Psalm 50:14 says, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” We’re reminded here that our gratitude is an intentional offering to God—regardless of what we do or don’t have.
New Testament believers also affirmed the power of gratefulness. Whether we speak, drive, work, or rest, we can always give thanks to our Father.[2] For Christians, gratitude should be an everyday attitude of the heart, not a delicacy reserved for special occasions. As Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, “Gratitude is for our good and His glory.”[3]
Truth: Gratitude Brings Peace
I left that clinic fuming and upset. My heart wasn’t at peace. As my husband and I discussed the situation afterward, my anger lessened and my perspective shifted. We all make mistakes. The baby napped in the car, I got to listen to a podcast during the drive, and I had the rest of the day off work—there were things to be grateful for.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Instead of bringing bitter complaints to God, I can cry out in honest lament and humbly share my requests. I can thank him for the ways I’ve seen his provision and goodness and pray for the eyes to see even more. Gratitude brings peace and perspective to our fragile and deceitful hearts.[4] Gratitude also protects us from envy and entitlement. And how much do we need that in our anxious age?
Lie: Gratitude Is Impossible
Gratitude isn’t based on our circumstances. It’s an attitude derived from experiencing God’s goodness and blessings in our lives—the blessings of salvation, abundant life in Christ, and common grace, just to name a few. When Christ is our foundation, gratitude can characterize our actions, words, and desires as moms. And gratitude can draw us closer to God as we take our eyes off ourselves and fix them on the Perfect One.[5] We can join with the psalmist by entering “his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!” (Psalm 100:4).
Yes, it’s hard to be grateful during trying times, but God is bigger than our circumstances. He can work all things for good.[6] Biblical gratitude isn’t a facade. It isn’t a mask to hide our true feelings. It’s a posture of the heart, the mind, and the will—empowered by Christ. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s counter-cultural. But yes, it’s also possible by the grace of God and for the glory of God.
The Honest Truth
Later that night, I went into the bathroom and looked at my reflection. I glanced over at the verse hanging on the wall: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
I had meditated on this verse during first trimester morning sickness, second trimester body changes, third trimester impatience, and postpartum anxieties. As a new mother, I longed to know God's will. And though life is uncertain, this verse has reminded me that God wants me to be grateful, to give thanks in all circumstances—even the hard ones.
I finished my nighttime routine and hummed my favorite song:
I like to think about the goodness of the Lord
He gives me everything I need and so much more
So I just want to lift my hands and say that I love him
I just want to lift my heart and pray
And I want to be thankful
I want be faithful
I want to remember everything that the Lord has done
I want to be thankful
I want to be grateful
I want to be, I want to be, I want to be[7]
[1] 1 Thessalonians 5:18
[2] Colossians 3:17
[4] Jeremiah 17:9
[5] Hebrews 12:2
[6] Romans 8:28
[7] LifeTree Kids, “Thankful”
