The other day, I paused and looked around at my life.
As I sat there, a realization hit me: I am currently living in the exact reality that, not too long ago, I found myself praying about.
In the fastness and busyness of life, it is so easy to forget that. We get caught up in the getting, the striving and always reaching for the next thing. We want the newest outcome or we push ourselves to get higher further and better than where we are right now.
I truly believe we shouldn’t be stagnant. We are called to do our best and grow, as long as it aligns with the will of God. But in that same breath, I’ve come to realize that we need to stop and do a spiritual audit.
What Are We Overlooking in the Pursuit of the next thing?
In my own journey, I noticed a subtle thing: in my drive to reach one specific goal, I can easily oversee everything God is doing in between. How often do we look at something good happening in our lives and rationalize it away? We tell ourselves: “Well, yeah, it was supposed to happen. It was just the logical result of X, Y, and Z.”
But who told us that?
Nothing in our lives happens without God allowing it to happen. Nothing is established except by His grace and His mercy. Nothing is guaranteed, and nothing should ever be taken for granted. When I look closely at my own life, I see how easily I can fall into taking His quiet moves for granted if I’m not careful.
Hebrews 13:15: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”
Sometimes in the rush of life, we simply forget to bring God the fruits of our lips, which is thanksgiving.Thanksgiving isn’t just something we do when a giant, miraculous breakthrough happens. It is an active part of our daily relationship with Him. When we practice gratitude daily, or even multiple times a day, it shifts our entire perspective. It turns our attention away from what we think we’re missing and anchors us in the reality of His faithfulness.
Research suggests that practicing gratitude, such as keeping a gratitude journal or writing down a few things we’re thankful for each day, can lift our mood. What we focus on shapes how we feel. Gratitude trains our attention to notice what is good instead of only what is missing. But long before researchers measured any of this, the Bible said it plainly:
“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
It doesn’t say be thankful for the good things or be thankful when life is easy. It says in everything. And honestly? Sometimes I look at a situation and think, What is there to be thankful for? Paul isn’t asking us to pretend that hard things are good. He’s inviting us to find a place to stand, even in the middle of them.
Philippians 4:6–7 “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition 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 thoughts in Christ Jesus.”
Thanksgiving is right there in the middle of the instruction on how to deal with anxiety. Paul links it to peace again in Colossians:
Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.”
Peace and thankfulness go hand in hand.
Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
When I can’t see anything to be grateful for, I try to pray something like this:“Lord, thank you, even though things aren’t how I want them to be right now. I believe you have an infinite plan, and that you know exactly when the right time for everything is. So I choose to be thankful for who you are. And if I can’t find anything else, I know I can always be thankful for you: for everything you have done for me in the past, and for the fact that you are still at work in my life.”
If you’re reading this right now, I want to invite you to pause with me for a minute:
- Look around you: Is there something in your life right now (a space you’re in, a relationship, a mindset, a quiet piece of progress) that the past-you prayed for?
- Give God the credit: Stop rationalizing or attributing His grace to pure luck, timing, or just your own hard work.
- Offer the fruit of your lips: Take a moment right now to simply say, “Thank You, Lord, for bringing me here.”
Don’t let the pursuit of tomorrow steal your thanksgiving for today. You are standing right in the middle of His mercies.
Blessings <3
