When Gratitude Is Hard

This morning, I woke up with Job’s words echoing in my mind:
“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). 

These words were Job’s response to his wife, who, seeing him endure such unbearable suffering, said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). 

What a difficult position for Job to be in! How could anyone thank God while experiencing such deep pain? 

It’s easy to thank God when life is good. But getting angry with God and blaming Him in hard times—like Job’s wife did—is also easy. Few people know how to thank God through the bitter seasons, and only some experience the blessings that can come through them. 

If we’re honest, it’s hard—and often painful—to give thanks in suffering. Yet God’s Word invites us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and to bring our requests to Him “with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6). If the Word of God says it, then—even when it’s hard—it’s possible. 

It’s possible to give thanks in all things when we truly believe that “all things work together for the good of those who love God” (Romans 8:28). 

It’s possible when we understand that God’s blessings often don’t come as we expect—they may appear in the form of trials, challenges, or discomfort. 

It’s possible when we shift our eyes away from the bitterness of where we are and focus instead on the sweetness of Christ. 

When we consider the beauty of our God—who poured out His love on humanity at the highest price through His Son—we can find hope even in chaos. 

That same hope in Christ is what allows us to see something good even in suffering. That’s why the apostle Paul could write, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17). 

Difficult times shape something within us—not just for our good but for eternity. What looks like destruction is, for those in Christ, a time when God is building and strengthening our inner being. These are seasons of transformation in the presence of God. 

Thanking God in difficult times might not change your circumstances—but it will change you.
Have you ever taken time to reflect on the good that your suffering produced? In my own life, through seasons of pain, God has given me life tools I could have gained in no other way—and now, through them, I can help others endure their trials. 

Is there a season of suffering you’ve experienced that’s still hard to thank God for?
Make a list of the challenges you’ve faced, and beside each one, write down the blessing that came from it. No matter how hard your situation was, I’m sure you’ll find something glorious and good that God has done in your life. 

And above all, consider the kindness of Christ—thank Him for forgiving you and rescuing you from the spiritual death you once deserved. Thank Him for walking beside you, the God who never fails. Give thanks for Him. 

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”
—1 Thessalonians 5:18.