Rooted: 30 Days to Strengthen Your Faith Through StruggleSample

WEEK 3: Nourishing the Roots

Focus: Developing spiritual practices and a renewed mind to strengthen your identity in Christ.

Day 18: Cultivating Gratitude in Grief

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

Gratitude in grief sounds like a contradiction. How do you give thanks when your heart is breaking? When dreams have crumbled? When you face the weight of a lost childhood? When the grief is so unbearable that it feels hard to breathe?

The answer is not denial. God doesn’t ask us to ignore pain. In fact, Scripture is full of lament. Jesus Himself wept. Grief is not unfaithful - it’s human.

But in grief, gratitude becomes an anchor. It becomes the guide that helps us navigate the weight of grief so we don't get overcome by it.

Gratitude is the act of looking for God's fingerprints in the middle of the mess. It's the balance of holding both grief and joy together.

Gratitude reminds us that God is still good, even when life isn’t. It helps us resist bitterness. It softens the edges of sorrow with glimpses of hope.

Gratitude says, “I still see God" even through teary eyes.

Even in loss, there’s something to be thankful for: His presence. His nearness. The comfort that comes as we invite Him into our lament.

This isn't about whitewashing over pain. It's our heart acknowledging that even though there's grief - there is still hope in front of us. All around us. That hope is Jesus.

And when you practice that kind of gratitude, even in grief, it becomes a form of worship. A declaration that says: “This pain doesn’t have the final word - Jesus does.”

Reflection Questions:

• Where have you seen God's goodness even in pain?
• What are three things you can thank God for today?
• How can gratitude shift your perspective in sorrow?