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When Gratitude Feels Too Difficult

With a deep sigh of surrender, I eased back into the sofa. The joint and muscle pain was just too much. I had hoped for a walk, but once again it would need to be put on hold.

It had been nearly a year since all the pain had started. Since life had drastically changed.

As I sat, thoughts of my son’s similar rapid descent into poor health consumed my mind.

Frustration. Disappointment. Weariness. Concern. Anger.

They were beginning to take over. Laughter wasn’t a priority. And gratitude had descended to the bottom of my priority list.

Sometimes being grateful is the last thing we want to do.The unfair waves of life have felt too much and we'd rather be angry. But, friends, gratitude is a weapon that protects your soul and preserves your hope. So, what do we do when gratitude feels difficult? by Lori Schumaker for Her View From Home

The light of hope that had once filled my heart was barely flickering.

And I was allowing it to happen.
What do we do when gratitude feels difficult?When laughter has disappeared?When hope is fading? #gratitude #hope @HerViewFromHome Click To Tweet

You see, gratitude and hope are firmly intertwined with each other. One does not exist without the other. So, how could I expect my hope to overflow if I wasn’t looking at life through a filter of gratitude?

In all honesty, I didn’t feel like being grateful.

It would mean consciously trading my complaints for praises. It would mean taking my eyes off the pain, concern, and frustration and placing it instead on the everyday gifts for which I could be thankful. But in that season, through that pain, it felt too difficult…

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If gratitude has ever felt difficult for you, click here and follow me over to Her View From Home where I’ll share the rest of our story and whisper words of hope into yours. Hope to keep the laughter alive. Hope to wield the weapon of gratitude when it feels too difficult.

I think you will love your visit at Her View From Home! While you are there, would you let me know your thoughts in the comments? And, even more importantly, would you consider sharing the post somewhere to encourage others? The holiday season can be a very difficult season for many. Hope is needed. So, can we work together to share the hope we find in Christ? What I write here is nothing but for God and secondly, it really is nothing buy for you! Thank you for being His hands and feet. And thank you for sharing in this passion to share Him with others!

Sometimes being grateful is the last thing we want to do.The unfair waves of life have felt too much and we'd rather be angry. But, friends, gratitude is a weapon that protects your soul and preserves your hope. So, what do we do when gratitude feels difficult? by Lori Schumaker for Her View From Home

If this post resonated with you and you could use an extra dose of hope, I’d love for you to join the Searching for Moments Community and get access to all the resources in the Library of Hope!

I regularly link up with these encouraging sites.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you for understanding gratitude can be difficult sometimes, Lori. I’m grateful God is so understanding and patient with us! I can especially identify with this line – “We learned what embracing our new normal looked like and committed to living with gratitude even if our circumstances never changed.” I’m sure happy though that your and your son’s condition is improving! Blessings and hugs to you!

  2. Thanks so much, Trudy! It really isn’t easy! Some days are … some moments are … but then there are others that simply just aren’t. One step in front of the other doing the next right thing. Being committed to gratitude even when it goes against the grain of what we feel! Thanks so much for visiting me here, friend!
    Blessings and smiles,
    Lori