10 Months…. That’s how long the U.S. has been affected by COVID-19 aka the Corona Virus, can you believe it? When we entered 2020, the roaring 20’s as some called it, we weren’t expecting to have our worlds rocked. Yet, that’s exactly what happened.

Our lives as we knew it halted. National Borders were closed, along with schools, businesses, and recreational centers, etc.

Mass layoffs occurred across the U.S.

Curfews were implemented; masks mandated.

Our freedom felt threatened by an invisible and mysterious disease.

And sickness… we can’t forget about the rapid sickness and death toll. For some of us, we’ve managed to escape COVID entirely, and for others, we haven’t been as lucky. If you are one of those that have suffered greatly, I am so sorry, and my heart aches for you, my friend. If this is you, please reach out and seek help. Don’t suffer alone.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a HARD year for many of us. A dark and impossible year, yet here we are nearing a new year with a future that is just as uncertain. The only difference is this time, we are prepared. We know (to an extent) what to expect.

We have managed lockdowns and layoffs. We have navigated unemployment and school closures. We have “survived” (albeit barely) social isolation.

So what now, what about 2021? Friend, I want to encourage you and challenge you for a brief moment; 2021 doesn’t have to look like 2020.

The Power of Gratitude

It’s hard to look back at a hard season and find anything to be grateful for. What's there to be grateful for in losing a job or a parent or a spouse? What’s there to be grateful for in being trapped in an abusive home or situation? What’s there to be grateful for in having your graduation or wedding ruined because of a disease?

When we think of all the things we’ve lost, it feels impossible to find something to be grateful for, but truthfully, gratitude is crucial during this dark period.

What is Gratitude?

According to Merriam-Webster, Gratitude is the state of being grateful or thankful. It is also the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Gratitude is both a feeling/emotion and something we can (and should) practice.

Consciously counting your blessings… that's gratitude.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.

― Alphonse Karr

You don’t have to be grateful for losing your job, you don’t have to be grateful for having to cancel your wedding, you don’t have to be grateful for losing your loved one, but you do get to be grateful for God working through those trials.

You get to be grateful for having a job in the first place.

You get to be grateful for all the memories you had with your grandparents or your spouse.

You get to be grateful for carrying that baby in your womb, even for the brief few weeks.

It is not an either-or situation.

You get to be grateful for what you have been given and how God will work, while simultaneously grieving what you’ve lost. But when you refuse to show gratitude… well, you are dooming yourself to a situation much worse; a situation filled with depression, loneliness, sickness, and pain.

Benefits of Gratitude

Studies have shown that, over time, feeling grateful can boost happiness and positively affect physical and psychological health!

Practicing gratitude can:

Decrease negative emotions
Shift the inner focus away from such negative emotions and minimize dwelling on those feelings (which is a sign of depression)
Motivate you to make healthier food choices
Reduce loneliness
Help you feel less pain,
Less stressed
Less likely to suffer from insomnia
Build stronger immune systems,
experience healthier relationships,
Perform better academically and professionally

Knowing these benefits, why wouldn’t we want to try and practice gratitude? What’s the risk?

Gratitude Definition in the Bible

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 NIV

The Bible has a lot to say about gratefulness/thankfulness, so much so that it can be sinful when we fail to do so. As the verse above says, God’s will for us is to give thanks to Him and glorify Him. This doesn’t mean we need to be happy about our circumstances, but instead that we acknowledge them and still give praise and thanks to the Big Man Upstairs for what He is doing or will do in these circumstances.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4 (NIV)

How to Practice Gratitude

It’s all fine and dandy that we know WHY we should be grateful… but how? How do we no kidding practice gratitude during a really rough season? Especially when we haven’t done it before. Consider it like a muscle you need to train. The more you practice, the easier it becomes.

Use a gratitude journal. Don’t have one? Then use our FREE Gratitude Journal and work through the daily prompts for the next 31 days. Now is the perfect time to get started. Access it in our Resource Library. But, don’t forget to sign-up for access (you’ll need the password). Then, download it, print it off, and start writing.
Every morning (or evening) acknowledge 1 thing you are grateful for. You can thank God in prayer, journal it, or share it with your spouse.
Make it a habit to ask your family what’s one thing they are grateful for over a meal.
Write out everything you have to be grateful for. Literally, brain dump it down. Hot water, Starbucks, fresh strawberries… nothing is too small. This exercise is a reminder that we have so much to be grateful for.
When you find yourself in a rough season, make it point to thank God for what you do have. If you lost a job, thank Him for the time you did work. If you canceled a wedding, thank Him for your engagement, and your spouse.
Remove anything that produces feelings of ungratefulness/jealousy from your life. This may mean unfollowing people on social media or limiting its usage. It may mean letting go of negative nancys in your life. Or it may mean turning to prayer every single time you have a negative thought.
Challenge yourself. Start a gratitude challenge to either journal for X amount of days, or to say thank you to a new person in your life for the next month. The possibilities are endless.
Write out scriptures about thankfulness and gratitude, it’s bound to lift your spirits. Our journal is perfect to write out the Word or quote!
Find the positive in every negative situation.
Start off every prayer thanking God for all that He’s done. Be specific.

Grab your FREE Gratitude Journal and start the New Year off right (located in our Resource Library). Don’t allow the past year to weigh you down. Don’t forget to fill out the form and get your exclusive access.