Week 4: Grateful in the Hard, Because God Doesn’t Waste Pain
Gratitude isn’t always a natural response to hardship. It’s easier to be thankful when life is peaceful, predictable, and full of blessings we can clearly see. But in the middle of suffering—when the future feels foggy and the weight of grief is heavy—it’s a lot harder to find reasons to be grateful.And yet, looking back, some of my deepest growth has come from those hardest seasons.
Grief, illness, and the long road of single parenting after loss have shaped me in ways I never expected. They’ve brought me to the end of myself again and again—and led me straight into God’s presence. I’ve seen His comfort in new ways, learned to depend on Him more fully, and discovered a deeper compassion for others who are hurting.
Romans 8:28 reminds us:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
All things. Not just the pleasant or easy things. God doesn’t cause our pain, but He promises to use it. And when we begin to see how He’s been at work in the pain—not in spite of it—we begin to find a quiet kind of gratitude that goes deeper than surface-level thankfulness.
I’ve learned to thank Him for what He’s done through the hard times:
- For teaching me to slow down and rest when my body couldn’t keep up.
- For revealing His character in the quiet, lonely places.
- For using my brokenness to bring comfort and hope to someone else walking a similar path.
I’m also learning to be thankful for the small steps toward healing. For my improved health. For strength I didn’t think I had. For the ways my children have grown more empathetic, more mature, more anchored in their own faith.God never wastes our pain. And that, in itself, is something to thank Him for.
Call to Action:
Think about one hard season you’ve walked through. Ask God to show you what He brought out of it. Write it down. Say a quiet “thank You”—not for the pain, but for what He did in and through it.
💜 If you’re walking through grief and need a quiet place to process, Hope in the Mourning was created for you. This 30-day journal includes scripture, gentle prompts, and space to reflect, write, and breathe. It’s not about fixing the pain—but giving you a way to meet God in it, one day at a time. You don’t have to grieve alone.
0 Comments