Life is full of problems. Life is consistently imperfect. Life is life. In spite of that, we still have so much to be thankful for today. The fact that we are alive is enough for us always to be thankful.
Still, it is easy for us to look at our problems and what we don’t have and complain about life. There is always something to complain about. But thankfully there is always something to be thankful about. In fact, there are many things to be grateful for in your life. And we can be thankful for them all day all long. Here are just a few things to remind yourself of in the morning, to remember how blessed you are.
1. Life: The ability to breath air each day and experience life each day is enough to be thankful. God gave us life. God blessed us with life. It is a gift. Every moment that we breath is a gift from God.
2. Parents: Although your parents are not perfect, they did bring you into this world, and they did raise you. Focus on what your parents did right and forgive for the things they did wrong. If you didn’t have parents around you growing up, God has given you the blueprint on how not to raise your children. That’s a blessing in itself.
3. Friends: Regardless of the amount, you probably have someone in your life that you’d consider a friend, a confidant. They’re there for you, and together, you can push through life supporting each other. They aren’t perfect, but neither are you. Be thankful for people who care about you.
4. Health: How many times have you praised God for the ability to walk or go to the bathroom? When was the last time you got frustrated about having to park farther away from your destination, instead of being thankful that God blessed you with the ability to walk those extra few hundred feet?
5. The ability to improve our life: With God, all things are possible. No matter where you are in life, if you do your best and trust God to take care of the results, your life will improve. Always be thankful for your potential. Always strive to be better. Whether you are achieving your goals or you have goals that you want to achieve, remember God has given you a mind and a body that He expects you to use to the best of your ability for His glory. If we are living a life that leaves the results to God, you won’t be so focused on what goes wrong. You’ll focus on who is in control.
6. Good times: There are so many awesome moments in our life. But we tend to only focus on the bad ones. Instead, each day write down the good things that happened to you. Maybe the weather was enjoyable, or someone gave you a compliment on what you were wearing. Big or small, look to focus on what good happened to you. And if no good is happening to you, help someone out. When you support them, you will feel good. Praise God for these moments. And be thankful for them.
7. Bad times: We live in a fallen world. There will be bad times. No matter how good of a person you are bad times will still befall you. In fact, if you are a Christian, you are guaranteed to have suffering in your life. It has been promised to you. Why? Because God uses it. He uses it for His glory, and for our good. Thank God for the part you get to play in His story and how the Gospel will be advanced through your bad times.
8. Hope in Christ: Christ has a plan for each one of us. Our strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances are used by God so that we always praise and trust Him. Christ came so that all might know Him: John 3:16 says,”For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Knowing this should keep us thankful.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:13
Author: Zach Buckler was born in Baltimore, Maryland, graduated from Liberty University, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has more than five years of experience in social media marketing, voice acting, content moderation, and copywriting for radio stations, marketing companies, and community organizations.
Solid word Zach! Praise Him in the storm and be thankful.
I’m glad I bump into this article. I’m currently struggling losing my job and facing finacial instability for the first time in my marriage. I had always provide for my family and now I loss my job unexpectedly. Makes me realize of how thankful and grateful I should’ve been and should be now. I’m thankful during this storm and begin a more intimate relationship with God. I struggle to trust in Him but I get reminded in so many ways. My wife, my church and my friends are constantly encouraging me. Thanks Uncommen for this article. God bless now and forever.
I have been there Robert. The only comfort I can give you in this time. The door of your previous job closed for a REASON. It is not for you or I to know. God knows and this is just God laying his hand on you saying “Where is your Faith” sometimes we get complacent cause things are going so gooooooooooooood. We for get to pray to God and we sometimes think it was our mind our skill our diploma our master degree. When all these thing come from and thru God. I believe from time to time he shakes our faith for an awakening. When you get back in line the next door that opens is better and greater than the one he closes. It is up to us to then make sure we KEEP the FAITH and never forget and take GOD for granted.
Slow down, now you have time in the morning to sit on your deck or back yard read your word and pray your prayer and get back in touch with your inner FAITH. God will open the door when the time is right. Remember he is an on time GOD.
I been laid off 2x in my life and been thru that valley of depression when you are the man of the house and lose your job. Once my pity party was over and I remember who I belonged to. God has blessed me.
Hey man, just wanted to let you know that I went through the same thing. Had an amazing job, worked my way to the top, was paid more than anyone else in my position in the entire southeast was paid, and then the company was bought out and my job was gone. Suddenly I was making about 1/4 of what I used to be paid, and no, I can’t just go get another job that pays close to what I used to make. Things got real hard real fast. Suddenly one thing after another was going wrong. I just kept getting lower and lower wondering where the bottom was. I have always been a believer, on paper anyway, but it took me falling into so much hardship before I finally noticed that I wasn’t depending on God, and I wasn’t trusting in God to provide for me. I was depending on myself to “fix everything” and to provide for my family. I also looked back on how things were before all this happened and realized that I hadn’t been giving thanks to God for my blessings. Not how I should have been thanking him anyway. But since the time that all he** broke loose in my life, I have been tought so many lessons from God. I have grown in my relationship with him. I have grown in my marriage and in my roll as a father. Now I’m not saying everything is great again and I don’t still have struggles because I certainly do. Things are still very hard, and honestly I don’t have two pennies to rub together. BUT, I am so grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and for the growing relationship with God. I hate what a slow learner I am though! Sometimes God has to let me get in a really bad place before I wise up and remember to depend on him, and to give thanks for what I DO have! I guess what I’m trying to say to is, hang in there, give it to God to worry about, trust Him, depend on Him, and give thanks to Him. It WILL turn around for you, things WILL improve, and if you look and listen for them, you will see ways that God is actively working in your life. If your journey is like mine, you may have to get beaten and battered a bit, but you will come out better and stronger. I’m not out yet, I’m still working towards that, but I’m better than the person I was when everything was just fine and easy!
Just what I needed!!! I’d like to get involved with this organization.. I just sold my business and looking for a new beginning.
Chip, you can get involved in several ways with Uncommen. Start a Charter, volunteer as a writer or even be part of our Social Squad. Just let me know how you want to get involved. [email protected]
Great post Zach. It is so easy for us to start the day complaining about everything we don’t have or situations aren’t to our liking. I make it a point every morning to thank God, while under the shower, for hot, clean water. We take this for granted which is crazy when you think that most people in the world don’t have this luxury. While still in the shower, I ask God what His will is for me today. I believe I heard Him say this morning: “In all situations, be thankful.”