Choosing Gratitude in a Shaking World

Brenda J. Trulear
Nov 20
3 min read

Some days it feels as though the world is groaning under its own weight. Headlines shift like sand. Families feel the squeeze. Storms come — political storms, economic storms, emotional storms — and we wonder if we’re ever going to catch our breath again.

We’ve walked through sickness and disease. We’ve held the hands of loved ones who have crossed into eternity. We’ve watched as shutdowns, layoffs, and uncertainty have shaken communities

. And if we’re honest, gratitude doesn’t always come naturally in seasons like these. Some mornings it feels less like a song and more like a struggle.

And yet…there is still so much to be thankful for.

Gratitude is not denial. It’s not pretending the storm isn’t real. Gratitude is lifting our eyes higher than the waves and remembering Who walks on the water.

For the believer, thanksgiving is rooted in something more profound than circumstance — Someone deeper than circumstance.

We have a Savior who loves us with no conditions attached and no expiration date stamped on His mercy. Jesus doesn’t love us when we get it right; He loves us because His nature is love. He promised to walk with us through every valley, every loss, every unknown path. He is the Friend who doesn’t flinch at our fears, the Shepherd who doesn’t desert the sheep when the wolves howl.

And this might be the most significant reason for a grateful heart: We are forgiven. Completely. Freely. Eternally. The very sins that once held us hostage have been nailed to the cross and left there.

But the story doesn’t stop at forgiveness.

The Lord has prepared a home for us — not a symbolic place, but a real one — where every tear will be collected, every sorrow silenced, every burden lifted. A place where gratefulness won’t have to be fought for; it will rise naturally, like breathing in glory.

So yes… the world is shaking. Yes… Life can wound us. But underneath it all, the everlasting arms still hold.

Gratitude doesn’t ignore the battle. Gratitude declares, even in the battle, “God is still good.”

And sometimes, that simple whisper of thanks becomes the very light that guides us through the dark.

Here’s a list scriptures to help you anchor your faith in the Lord.

1. Psalm 106:1

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.”A reminder that gratitude begins with who God is, not what we feel.

2. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”Not for everything — but in everything, because God is at work even in the dark places.

3. Colossians 3:15

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And be thankful.”Gratitude invites peace to take the throne where fear once sat.

4. Hebrews 12:28

“Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful…”The world may tremble, but God’s kingdom — and our place in it — remains unshakable.

5. Lamentations 3:22–23

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed… His mercies are new every morning.”Even on the hardest days, God gifts us fresh mercy with the sunrise.

6. Philippians 4:6–7

“In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”Thanksgiving becomes the doorway to supernatural peace.