Day 2
New to the Gratitude for Every Day 30-Day Devotion? Start with Day 1!
Take time to be thankful. Read a short devotion and a selected Bible verse each day.
It’s Day 2 of the Gratitude for Every Day 30-Day Devotion.
DEVOTION
The day my brother died - it changed me forever. I believed it was the worst period of my life until my mother, my first best friend, died eight weeks later. I didn’t know how I would recover from my sorrow, loss, and the hardships that ensued afterward. Finding reasons to be thankful during that time was tough, but I did. Eventually.
What about you?
Can you reflect on when you faced adversity or an insurmountable challenge? Maybe you’re in a battle right now. Perhaps it’s an illness, job loss, or a broken relationship. During these experiences, it’s hard to find reasons to be thankful.
Looking back, we often see how God used hard seasons to bring unexpected blessings or personal growth. Maybe it strengthened our faith, deepened our empathy for others, or led us to new opportunities.
We can reinterpret our struggles through gratitude as part of God’s redemptive plan. Here are four practical ways I lived through challenging times to do this:
1: Recognize God’s Goodness
By acknowledging God’s goodness in all things, we can cultivate a spirit of gratitude transcending circumstances.
2: Embrace a Thankful Heart
We’re encouraged to accept everything with thanksgiving, which challenges us to embrace gratitude even during difficulty.
3: Be Consecrated through God’s Word and Prayer
Through the power of God’s word and prayer, we can find meaning and purpose in every experience. This consecration process allows us to see beyond the surface and recognize God’s hand in our lives.
4: Find Hope in Transformation
God can transform even the most difficult circumstances. Just as a seed buried in the darkness of the soil eventually sprouts into new life, our trials can be the fertile ground for God’s transformative work.
As we meditate on 1 Timothy 4:4-5, we can cultivate a spirit of gratitude transcending circumstances. By recognizing God’s goodness and embracing thankfulness, we can find hope in the transformative power of God. We can allow gratitude to shape our perspective and enable us to see God’s redemptive hand even in life’s challenging times.
VERSE
1 Timothy 4:4-5 (ESV: English Standard Version)
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AUTHOR
Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes is an editor, author, speaker, podcaster, and educational consultant. She is the production editor for Embolden Media Group and a member of Word Weavers International, serving as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color), AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators).
She serves on the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 board and the 540 Writer’s Community board and is an art instructor for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future in Guatemala. Katherine hosts the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She contributes regularly to several magazines, blogs, and newsletters. She authored a Bible study for women, a collaborative anthology of devotions, and is currently working on the sequels of her first general market thriller novel.
Her thriller A Fifth of the Story debuted in February 2024 through Endgame Press.
Website - http://www.drkatherinehayes.com
