View the Bible Reading Plan for this Month: December
There is something sacred about refusing to give up—something holy about believing when the evidence seems thin, trying again when it feels pointless, learning when life keeps testing you, and remaining grateful when it would be easier to complain.
Roy T. Bennett once said, “Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”
This simple truth mirrors the heart of Scripture. Gratitude is not just a reaction to blessings—it is the soil in which faith, endurance, and wisdom grow. When Paul wrote, “Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ERV), he was reminding us that gratitude is not dependent on what you have but on Who holds your life together.
Believing Even When It Hurts
Faith is not blind optimism—it is the courage to believe God’s promises even when your surroundings seem silent. To believe in seasons of uncertainty requires spiritual stamina, a kind of quiet endurance rooted in trust.
When you keep believing, you are not ignoring reality; you are acknowledging that there is a greater reality beyond what you see. Gratitude strengthens that faith. When you thank God in the middle of the struggle, you remind your soul that He has been faithful before—and He will be faithful again.
In moments when life feels unsteady, gratitude becomes your anchor. It steadies your mind and softens your heart. The grateful believer says, “Even when I do not understand, I will still trust You.” That declaration becomes the foundation for divine renewal. Because every new beginning starts with belief—belief that God still has purpose, still has power, and still has plans to prosper you.
Keep Trying: The Grace to Begin Again
There will always be reasons to quit. The world often tells you to walk away when the road grows long. But God calls you to keep walking by faith. Trying again after disappointment is not weakness—it is worship.
Gratitude transforms failure into fertilizer. Every lesson, every closed door, every delayed answer becomes a steppingstone when you choose to thank God through it. Each attempt is evidence of perseverance; each prayer is proof of your hope.
The Apostle Paul knew this tension well. He wrote, “We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated… we are persecuted, but God does not leave us” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9, ERV). Gratitude helps you hold that tension with grace. It reminds you that progress is often quiet and unseen. The seeds of perseverance are planted when you choose to keep trying with a thankful heart.
Trying again in faith is how great things begin—not because you are strong enough, but because you are willing enough. God works through willingness. Gratitude keeps that willingness alive.
Learning as a Lifelong Act of Faith
Learning in the spiritual life is rarely about new information—it is about deeper revelation. You learn not just from success, but from the shaping that comes through hardship. Gratitude keeps you teachable.
A thankful heart says, “Even this can instruct me.” Instead of resenting the process, you begin to ask, “Lord, what are You teaching me here?” Gratitude changes your posture from frustration to formation.
James 1:2–4 (CEB) captures this beautifully: “Think of the various tests you encounter as occasions for joy. After all, you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let this endurance complete its work so that you may be fully mature, complete, and lacking in nothing.”
Learning through trial produces spiritual maturity. Gratitude helps you see lessons where others only see loss. It trains your spirit to see God’s fingerprints in every detail. You may not always enjoy the classroom of adversity, but gratitude turns it into holy ground—a place where your heart becomes wiser and your faith grows deeper.
The Power of Being Grateful—Always
The final phrase in Bennett’s quote—“being grateful”—is not an afterthought. It is the thread that weaves belief, effort, and growth together. Gratitude is not a single act; it is a way of life.
When you practice gratitude, you are declaring that God is present in every chapter of your story. Gratitude is not naive; it is deeply spiritual. It acknowledges pain but refuses to let pain steal praise.
David understood this rhythm well. He wrote, “I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1, ESV). His gratitude was not seasonal—it was steadfast. He thanked God from the caves as much as from the palace. That consistency kept his heart pure and his perspective clear.
Being grateful is a daily discipline that trains your soul to recognize the presence of God in the mundane. It allows you to see that great things do not just happen by chance—they happen when a heart stays open to God’s goodness.
Every time you express gratitude, you align yourself with Heaven’s rhythm. You invite the Holy Spirit to renew your mind, soften your heart, and breathe life into your faith again.
When Gratitude Becomes a Lifestyle
True gratitude reshapes your identity. You stop measuring your life by what is missing and start rejoicing in what remains. You become more aware of how deeply you are loved, how consistently you are covered, and how faithfully God provides.
In every new beginning, gratitude is both the root and the fruit. It roots you in humility and dependence on God, and it bears fruit in peace, joy, and strength. You begin to see that everything—every trial, every triumph—has been a tool of divine transformation.
When you live in gratitude, you stop chasing perfection and start pursuing presence. You notice the small graces that once went unseen: the laughter that eased a long day, the text that arrived right when you needed encouragement, the quiet whisper of peace during prayer. These are not coincidences—they are confirmations of God’s care.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 calls you to this kind of steady thanksgiving—not because every moment is easy, but because every moment is an opportunity to trust. Gratitude turns ordinary living into worship and ordinary faith into extraordinary strength.
Reflection Questions to Think About
Where have you stopped believing that God can bring something good out of your situation?
How can you practice gratitude in the middle of your “trying again” moments?
What recent lesson has God taught you that deepened your faith or patience?
In what ways can you make gratitude a consistent part of your daily walk with God?
Affirmations to Say to Yourself
I will not stop believing, trying, learning, or being grateful. God is working in every moment of my journey.
My gratitude is the language of my faith—it keeps my spirit aligned with God’s promises.
Each new beginning is an opportunity to grow, and I receive it with thanksgiving and courage.
Gratitude is the undercurrent of greatness—not in the world’s sense, but in God’s. It is how ordinary people experience extraordinary grace. When you keep believing, trying, learning, and being grateful, you make room for God to do what only He can do: turn your persistence into purpose, your patience into peace, and your beginnings into blessings.
Do not stop. Keep believing. Keep trying. Keep learning. Keep being grateful. Because great things happen when you do.
