Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about just how much I have to be thankful for. The more I think about it, the more I realize how many blessings I’ve simply grown accustomed to. Like Israel gathering manna each morning, it’s easy to become so familiar with God’s gifts that we stop noticing them. We begin expecting what was once received with wonder.
James reminds us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17). Yet if I’m being honest, there have been far too many times I’ve enjoyed the gift without pausing to thank the Giver.
As I was reflecting on this, I remembered a story about an elderly woman who woke up one morning and discovered she had only three hairs left on her head. Looking in the mirror, she smiled and said, “Lord, thank You. I can braid my hair today.” And she did.
The next morning she had only two hairs left. She smiled and said, “Lord, thank You. Today I can simply part my hair.” And she did.
The following day there was only one hair remaining. Again she smiled and said, “Lord, thank You. I still have one hair for a ponytail today.” And apparently, that was enough.
Then came the fourth morning. You guessed it, she had no hair at all.
She looked in the mirror, smiled, and said, “Lord, thank You. I don’t have to fix my hair today.”
I love that story because it reminds me that gratitude isn’t determined by circumstances. It’s determined by where we choose to focus our attention.
The apostle Paul wrote, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). He didn’t say to be thankful for every circumstance, but to find reasons for gratitude even in the midst of them.
I’ve noticed that when I focus on what I lack, life feels smaller. But when I begin counting blessings, even ordinary things start looking extraordinary.
So today, I thank God for hunger because it reminds me of Jesus’ invitation: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).
I thank Him for weariness because it reminds me that I was never meant to carry life’s burdens alone. Christ still says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
I thank Him for pain because it reminds me that I have a Savior who understands suffering firsthand and has promised a day when “…there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
I thank Him for weakness because it keeps me close enough to lean on Him. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
I thank Him for conviction because it means He hasn’t left me comfortable in what could destroy me. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten…” (Revelation 3:19).
And yes, I even thank Him for disappointments. They have a way of loosening my grip on this world and turning my eyes toward a better one. They remind me that my greatest purpose is not to build my own kingdom, but to seek first His.
The older I get, the more convinced I become that praise is often a choice before it’s an actual feeling. Some of the sweetest songs of gratitude are not sung when everything is going well, but when we choose to hold onto the promise that “…all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28), even when we cannot yet see how He is weaving the pieces together.
After all, gratitude doesn’t change our circumstances nearly as much as it changes our vision. It helps us see that even on ordinary days, we are surrounded by mercies far too numerous to count.
If this Fireside Chat warmed your spirit and sparked fresh resolve to live what you believe, fan that flame with Scripture—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). Pull a little closer to the Light, and carry it into the week ahead.
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Star for the Journey 
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