Free Resource

Before we begin, I would like to invite you to download your complimentary guide, ‘Miracles in Everyday Life.’ Life gets loud. When your heart feels spiritually dry or distant, this free resource helps you reconnect with stillness, celebrate everyday blessings, reflect on Scripture, and hear the gentle voice of God again. 

Hello friend, and welcome to Empowered Faith Media, where we share the perfect love of Christ in an imperfect world.

Today, we’re talking about something that doesn’t get said often enough: what happens when gratitude doesn’t come easily. How do we move beyond forced thankfulness and find genuine gratitude in every season, even the challenging ones?

For years, I was a “glass-half-empty” type of person. I think I’ve mentioned this before; it was simply part of my personality, or so I thought. No matter how many times I heard messages about giving thanks in church or read about joy in Scripture, it never quite penetrated my gloomy exterior. Then, when I became a coach, I realized something that changed everything: gratitude is not pretending everything is fine; it’s trusting that God is still good, even when everything isn’t.

1. Gratitude Isn’t Performance: It’s Presence

Gratitude is not about faking positivity or forcing a smile through pain. Genuine gratitude is about being present with God, even when your heart feels weary. He doesn’t ask us to deny our emotions; He invites us to bring them honestly before Him.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
That verse isn’t about pretending we’re okay,  it’s about knowing that God meets us in our honesty. Genuine gratitude begins when we stop performing and start showing up authentically before the One who already knows our hearts.

2. Gratitude Grows from Awareness, Not Achievement

For years, I thought gratitude meant achieving a spiritual “high” as if I could just feel thankful enough, God would be pleased. But genuine gratitude grows not from striving, but from awareness, notice how God shows up in small, ordinary moments.

It’s the sunrise that greets you after a long night of tears. It’s the unexpected kindness from a stranger. It’s breath in your lungs and grace that meets you in failure.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Notice it says in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Gratitude doesn’t mean celebrating pain; it means recognizing God’s presence through it.

3. God Isn’t Angry When You Struggle to Feel Grateful

Maybe you’ve thought, “If I can’t be thankful right now, I’m disappointing God.” I used to feel that too — but here’s the truth: God isn’t angry with your honesty. He’s not waiting for you to fake a smile before He’ll listen.

In fact, the Psalms are full of people who poured out their pain and still found praise. David cried, “How long, Lord?” (Psalm 13:1) yet still ended with trust. Gratitude and lament can coexist. You can thank God for being your refuge even when you’re still waiting for the storm to pass.

God’s grace gives us room to be real, and that’s where gratitude begins to bloom, deep and lasting.

4. Practicing Real Gratitude in Everyday Life

To move from forced thankfulness to genuine gratitude, try slowing down and noticing what’s already around you. Keep a “grace journal” where you write down one thing each day that reminds you of God’s goodness, even something small.

When anxiety rises, pause to pray instead of pressuring yourself to perform. Say, “Lord, I don’t feel thankful today, but I know You are with me.” That honest confession becomes worship in itself. Over time, gratitude stops being a task and becomes a rhythm, a quiet trust that God is still working, still loving, still faithful.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Gratitude transforms prayer, not by changing our circumstances, but by reminding us Who is in control.

Real Gratitude Is Rooted in Grace

Friend, gratitude isn’t about pretending your life is perfect. It’s about being honest with God and trusting His goodness even when your world feels heavy. Genuine gratitude flows from grace, not guilt. It’s not something you manufacture; it’s something you experience when you surrender your heart, exactly as it is, into His hands.

Please share this post with someone you love, and let us know in the comments what’s one small moment lately where you’ve seen God’s presence in your life?

Has life left you feeling troubled? Do you sometimes think there’s no safe place to catch your breath, quiet your mind, and truly feel the Spirit of God? If you answered yes, you are not alone. That’s precisely why I created this free guide: “Miracles in Everyday Life.”
It’s filled with reflections, Scriptures, and prayer prompts to help you reconnect with peace, stillness, and gratitude, even in the hard seasons.  Download your free copy today.

Until next time, my friend, take care of yourself and each other.

With Peace & Love,
Renee