A Heart Full of Gratitude

Living in gratitude is something that sounds like a great idea, and is often a whole lot easier when things are going our way.  

But there are times when it's difficult to find the strength to be grateful, which is why practicing gratitude daily is something that I have been striving to do no matter how I might feel about my circumstances.  

Notice that I said I'm "practicing" because I still haven't mastered it.   

It’s easy to be thankful when life is good—when the sun is shining, relationships are flourishing, and the path ahead feels smooth and sure. But true gratitude is not merely a response to favorable circumstances; it’s a posture, a way of being that sees the hand of grace even during trial.

 Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: 

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

These words challenge us. Gratitude, Emerson suggests, isn’t just for the pleasant or the obvious blessings. It includes everything—even the difficult, confusing, or painful parts of our story. 

This is where the shift happens: when we begin to see that every experience, even the hard ones, can shape us, strengthen us, and draw us closer to God, we step out of a scarcity mindset and into the wide-open space of abundance.

The Apostle Paul echoes this transformative truth in 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV): 

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 

Notice the repetition: all things, all times, all that you need. 

This is not a promise of material wealth, but of spiritual sufficiency. When we live from a place of gratitude, we begin to notice how abundantly blessed we already are. Scarcity whispers that there’s never enough time, money, love, or joy. But gratitude silences that voice with the truth: there is already enough, and more.

Even our smallest acts of thanksgiving make room for the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10—the life that is full, rich, and deep. 

Perhaps this is a moment when we can tap into the theological wisdom of one of my favorite Disney characters, sweet little Piglet, and the author of Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, who wrote:  “Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” 

Come on!  That's so sweet and beautiful, isn't it?  What a lovely reminder: our hearts, no matter how fragile or weary, are capable of great thankfulness.

So today, let us practice the discipline of gratitude—not just for the sweet and easy, but for the bitter and hard. Let us trust that all things can be included in our thanksgiving, because all things can be used for our good and God’s glory. Each time we say “thank you,” we open our eyes a little wider to the abundance that surrounds us.

Prayer:
Gracious God, give me eyes to see your gifts in all things. Teach me to be grateful not only when life is good, but also when life is hard. May I live each day from a place of trust in your abundance, not fear of scarcity. Amen.