Finding Gratitude in Hard Seasons

The Thanksgiving season is upon us, and I wondered if you knew how important it is to give thanks through your struggle and pain?

Maybe you’re struggling to find things to be thankful for right now. Perhaps your life looks very different from what you imagined, or your body feels like it’s no longer cooperating. Pain and illness can be overwhelming. For many living with chronic conditions, medical bills pile up, and the stress of simply getting through each day can feel like too much.

If that’s you, please know you’re not alone. I understand how hard it can be to feel thankful when you’re in pain. Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally—it’s something we can learn and practice gently, one small step at a time.

The Journey of Change and Healing

Since my family and I began healing from chronic illness, gratitude has started to come more easily. I’ve found myself thankful for the physical, financial, and relational changes that came with healing. It’s as if a heavy cloud has finally lifted. But I haven’t forgotten what it felt like before that—how impossible gratitude seemed when the pain and uncertainty were constant.

Living with Chronic Illness

If you’re living with chronic Lyme disease or another long-term illness, you already know the strength it takes just to get through the day. Sometimes, the idea of adding gratitude to your list feels like one more burden. Please know that’s okay. You don’t have to force it.

Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is fine—it’s about finding small lights in the dark. Some days, that might be something as simple as a warm cup of tea, a friend’s message, or a moment of quiet.

Why Gratitude Matters

Research shows that gratitude can help support both emotional and physical healing. A thankful mindset can:

• Support recovery and reduce stress

• Ease pain and tension

• Improve relationships and motivation

• Encourage hope and resilience

These are gentle reminders, not demands. Gratitude doesn’t erase hardship—but it can soften it, helping us hold both pain and hope at once.

What the Bible Says

Scripture mentions “giving thanks” many times. It reminds us that gratitude isn’t about denying hardship—it’s about trusting that God is present in the midst of it. God knows that a thankful heart can bring healing and perspective, even when life feels uncertain.

“Give thanks in all circumstances.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Pain Is Real

I would never minimize your pain. I lived for over ten years with chronic illness—Lyme disease, co-infections, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue—and watched my children suffer too. There were times when we couldn’t see a way forward.

The exhaustion, the fear, the financial strain, the tension in relationships—it’s all very real. If that’s where you are right now, please hear this: you are not forgotten, and you are not alone.

God’s Steadfast Care

Through all of it, I’ve learned that God doesn’t give up on us, even when we feel unheard or unseen. His care often shows up quietly—in moments of peace, in the right words at the right time, or in the strength to keep going.

Trusting Him doesn’t mean denying the struggle; it means believing He’s still at work within it.

“Above all of the pain and struggle, I know the God of the universe. I know that by trusting Him through the storm, the struggle, and the pain, He takes care of His children. And that is something to be thankful for.”

A Gentle Invitation

No matter where you are today, take a few quiet moments to notice even one thing you can be thankful for. Maybe it’s small. Maybe it’s the simple fact that you’re still here, still breathing, still hoping.

If gratitude feels impossible, that’s okay. You can start by simply asking God to show you glimpses of His presence in your struggle. Over time, that small act of openness can shift something inside you—even if your circumstances stay the same.

“No matter what you’re dealing with right now, take some time to really reflect on what you have to be thankful for.”

I hope you have a very thankful Thanksgiving.

Would you like to read more about the benefits of being thankful? Check out these links.

10 Reasons Why Gratitude Is Healthy
7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round
Why Giving Thanks To God Is Important