A Liturgy for Finding Thankfulness in Hard Times
O Lord, in seasons of plenty, it is easy to offer thanks. But here, in this time of hardship, our hearts struggle to lift gratitude from the weight of our burdens. Yet You are the same God, steadfast and true, whether we walk in light or shadow. Teach us, O Lord, to see Your hand even in these trying times, to find the quiet glimmers of Your goodness, and to trust that Your presence is still with us.
We give thanks for the small mercies that are easy to overlook — the kindness of a friend, the beauty of the morning light, the sustaining strength to meet each day. These moments remind us that grace still abounds. Give us hearts that choose to remember Your faithfulness, even now, and to recognize Your gifts, hidden as they may be.
When our minds fill with worry, and our souls grow weary, may we cling to the truth that You are our refuge. In this season of loss, house bills unpaid, loneliness, or uncertainty, help us to give thanks not for the struggle itself but for Your presence in it. We trust You are here, O Lord, guiding and shaping us. May gratitude be the flame that lights our way through the shadows, drawing us closer to You.
For unrealized dreams, lost relationships, and struggles too deep to give voice, we bring them before You, O God, with open hands. We cannot understand, yet we trust You are near to the brokenhearted and faithful even in our disappointments. In the ache of these unfulfilled hopes, help us to find a place of rest in You. May gratitude grow here, slowly, like a new shoot breaking through barren ground.
For dreams unmet, for losses we mourn, and for the strength we’ve yet to find, even in hardship, we choose to say: Thank You, Lord.
In Jesus Name: Amen.
