Six Ways Gratitude Draws Us Closer To God

Happy Saturday, Sarah!

Today I invited Pamela Henkelman to share several practical ways that gratitude leads us closer to God, even in the midst of great pain and suffering. -Sarah Koontz

I’m enjoying a lovely September day heading home for lunch, blissfully unaware of how my life will change in the next moment. I don’t see the car approaching from behind as I prepare to stop at the stoplight.

I hear the sound of crushing metal then my head flies back.

I’m stunned and in shock. I examine myself quickly; there’s no blood. My neck hurts, my head is pounding, and there’s tingly in my arms.

"So this must be whiplash," I think.

The ambulance drivers are kind and attentive and place me in a neck brace immediately.

My sweet husband rushes to my side. I see the worry in his eyes. I’m shivering and cold as they pile crisp white blankets on me in the ER.

I’m sent home in a neck brace with a diagnosis of whiplash and a script for painkillers and muscle relaxers. I’ll follow up with an orthopedist.

I plop my weary body on the couch and brace myself for the onslaught of muscle aches and pain. They always say the second day is worse, but I’m thankful my injuries aren’t more severe.

My optimism kicks in as I think, "I’ll bounce back in a few weeks." Little did I know that the pain would linger much longer than anticipated.

The summer before the accident, I was introduced to One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I devoured the book and hosted a small group of women as we learned the practice of gratitude.

Ann calls the things we’re thankful for "gifts." She says it’s in giving thanks we find joy. She asks us to notice the beauty in our lives: in nature, in people, in our homes, in our families, in simple objects, in the Word of God.

We have to slow and pay attention to notice the gifts. It’s in listing the gifts we see God, and isn’t that what we want most? We want to experience Him each day. We want to find Him amidst our suffering.

This practice of gratitude is my saving grace after the accident—as pain is now my constant companion.

Days turn to weeks, months, and years; I now stand at a decade of living with chronic pain.

We are not in control of the circumstances in our lives, but we are responsible for our response.

Practicing gratitude has taught me much about responding to suffering. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Gratitude leads us closer to God because:

1. It brings God near (Heb 13:5). God is not far off or uninterested. He is "God with us," and this is the sweetest truth for the sufferer. God’s nearness confirms His love. God does not abandon us in our pain; he holds us in the midst of it.

2. It shifts our focus (Ps 121:1-2). It’s easy to become consumed with how we feel. Pain demands attention. But gratitude helps us see beyond ourselves and look to God. Our world expands as we look for clues of God’s greatness. This reminds us of His power and ability to restore.

3. It silences complaining (Ps 118:1). It’s easy to grumble when the pain lingers. I find it impossible to complain and be thankful at the same time. Gratitude reorients our hearts to praise God, and praise silences our complaints.

4. It fills us with hope (Rom 15:13). It’s easy to lose hope when we’ve endured suffering for an extended period. Gratitude lifts our countenance and ushers in hope. There is a realm beyond what we see, and hope in God sustains us in seasons of suffering.

5. It helps us slow down (Ps 19:1-2). As pay attention and practice gratitude, we’ll slow down to see the gifts. In pausing, we make time to notice the beauty all around. When we experience beauty, we see the face of God in the midst of our struggles.

6. It brings joy (Neh 8:10b). Joy bubbles up as we observe how personally God is involved in our lives. Joy is the byproduct of being aware of God and placing our hope in his promises. By focusing on God's truth, we discover that our pain no longer defines us.

Sarah, if you are hurting today, I challenge you to begin a gratitude list.

Practicing gratitude isn’t just a helpful daily rhythm; it’s the gateway to intimacy with God.
With our eyes fixed on God and our hearts trusting in His goodness, we will find the support we need to endure suffering.

The practice of gratitude and listing our gifts will not change us unless we allow it to work on our hearts.

We must allow gratitude to soften our hard edges and help us be more in tune with God. This, in turn, enables us to release any bitterness we have towards God about our suffering.

Our pain doesn’t nullify God’s goodness. While we wait for our suffering to subside, God gives us a gift of immeasurable value—Himself.

We will be tested; we will be asked to endure. Perhaps there’s a greater purpose in our pain that the practice of gratitude will help us discover?

"Dear brothers and sisters, when trouble of any kind comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete needing nothing."James 1:2-4 NLT

- Pamela Henkelman