My family just finished a quick trip across the country, and when we returned home, the nip of fall weather was definitely in the air! This start of autumn weather reminds me that the holidays are fast approaching. Not only does this excite me about the upcoming celebrations, but it also reminds me that I am truly blessed, with tons of reasons to be thankful. Like everyone else, I sometimes struggle to feel thankful in the darkest times. I’ve had my hardships, just like we all have. But I’ve learned a way through it, no matter what happens in my life. Keep reading to learn 6 tips for being thankful in all circumstances.
(Disclaimer- this post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase from one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. All advice given is my own opinion and cannot be used as a substitute for consulting a medical or mental health professional. For more information, please view my disclaimer link page here.)
Table of Contents
What Does it Mean to Be Thankful in All Circumstances?
Now, before we start with the tips for being thankful, let’s talk about what it means to be thankful in all circumstances. Being thankful in all circumstances means that you give thanks no matter what happens in your life.
That doesn’t mean you need to be thankful for the bad thing that’s happened. This world is a fallen one, and we are allowed to grieve the sad things that happen to us. You might even be angry with God at the time, and question why He does what He does. Go ahead and be angry, and tell God what you think. He can take it.
Even in difficult times, we can still thank God for who He is and what He has done. Even when we question, and even when we’re angry, we can still lift our hands in praise to the Almighty!
Where Does the Bible Say to Be Thankful in All Circumstances?
Where in the Bible does it talk about being thankful in all circumstances? There are several verses in both the Old and New Testaments that are reminders to always be thankful. Here are a few examples:
- Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalms 136:1.
- Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Psalms 107:8.
- Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
- And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20.
These are just a few reminders to be thankful, no matter what’s going on in our lives. They are also good reminders of the reasons why we should give God our thanks.
6 Tips for Being Thankful in All Circumstances
I know that I’m blessed beyond anything I deserve. Even so, life can be a struggle. So, how can we make sure we remain grateful? I’ve found these 6 tips have helped me to be thankful in all circumstances.
Start a Gratitude Journal to Help You Remain Thankful
You don’t become better at something by accident. Even something that’s a natural talent takes work if you want to improve. So, if you’re not feeling particularly grateful, maybe you need a little bit of practice with it!
I’m talking about starting a gratitude journal, where you write down everything you’re thankful for in it. Each day, you spend time writing down at least one thing you’re grateful for in it. Later, you can go back and reread everything that makes you feel thankful.
If you don’t want to have an entire journal dedicated to gratitude, it’s fine to start small. I have a couple of pages in the back of my journal that I update with things I’m thankful for on a regular basis. I got this idea from the Living Well Spending Less planner I bought a few years ago. Each month has a page dedicated to gratitude. I enjoy being able to go back and read all of the special things that make me thankful in my life. I also love adding new things to my list!
Focus on Others to Get a Thankfulness Boost
Whenever I’m down, one thing I notice is I’m focusing a whole lot on myself. “My life is so hard. Nothing ever goes right for me! Why can’t anything go my way?” Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever said anything like that, you’re probably struggling through a difficult time. And if you’re like me, when my life gets hard I tend to focus on myself. This makes sense, but too much focus leads to self-pity. And self-pity only brings us down further.
The best remedy I’ve found for this downward spiral is to focus on the needs of others. You can do this in a lot of different ways. Adding people to your prayer list is a quick and easy way to focus on other people. You can offer to help when someone needs a helping hand. You could also just reach out and be a friend. Whatever you do to take your mind off yourself, you’ll be doing good for someone else as well.
Pray Daily to Be Thankful in All Circumstances
Being thankful in all circumstances starts with a relationship with God. This relationship, just like practicing thankfulness, doesn’t happen overnight. It takes effort to build.
Starting a daily prayer habit is an excellent way to build a relationship with God. In order to make it a habit, I would suggest choosing a time that works well for you every day making that your prayer time. Don’t worry if you’re not a prayer expert. You can start small. Begin by thanking God for everything He’s done in your life. After that, you can feel free to ask for any needs you might have. You can even add in some prayer requests for friends and family that you know they need! If you need some help getting started, Matthew 6 and Luke 11 in the New Testament have the Lord’s Prayer, a sample prayer that Jesus prayed. It’s a great example to get you started!
Learn Gratitude By Spending Time in God’s Word
Spending time in God’s word is a great addition to your prayer time. It will also take your daily prayer time a step further. Plus, I’ve found it to be a key step in having gratitude in all situations.
I like starting my days with God, and the Bible app is the best way I’ve found to spend time in Bible reading and prayer daily. It can be used for guided prayer sessions, sign up for Bible reading plans, and set reminders to make sure I stick to my spiritual growth habits. I can even read devotional plans with my friends, no matter where they are in the world!
No matter how you do it, or what time of day you choose, spending time in God’s word consistently is important to learn to be thankful in all circumstances.
Give Yourself Permission to Take a Break
Thinking of others, reading the Bible, making a gratitude list, and spending time in prayer is very important when it comes to learning to being grateful. But there are times that you need to take a break.
Taking care of yourself is essential for your mental and physical health. If you’re not healthy, then it’s a lot harder to be thankful. Practicing the habits we mentioned earlier will make it easier, and it will eventually happen. But taking care of yourself, whenever possible will help you remain more focus, more positive, and more thankful for the blessings in your life!
Follow Jesus’ Example for Being Thankful in Everything
The last tip I have for being thankful in all circumstances is to be like Jesus. Jesus, even though He’s part of the trinity, still gave thanks to God several different times in the Bible. He gave thanks every time he prayed. When He asked for something as small as blessing the food to as big as raising Lazarus from the dead. No matter what, Jesus always began his prayers with praise and Thanksgiving.
Jesus set the perfect example of how to be thankful in all circumstances. He wasn’t necessarily thankful to have to suffer. But He did know how to trust God, and be grateful to Him, no matter what.
Being thankful through a difficult situation won’t come instantly. It may even take years to feel truly thankful in the midst of pain. But we can find reasons, however small, to be thankful in all circumstances.
What are your tips for staying grateful in all circumstances? Don’t forget to subscribe if you want updates and access to our free products!
Take care,
