Be grateful when life is unfair
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. While it’s mostly an American holiday and not widely celebrated in India, the idea behind it—being thankful—is very Biblical and something all of us should practice daily.
Of course, gratitude comes naturally when life is good and blessings are easy to see. But the Bible tells us to go further:
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
That’s why this week, we’ll focus on seven extraordinary stories in the Bible where people gave thanks in the most unlikely situations.
Starting with King David in Psalm 69.
Here we find David at his rawest—drowning in trouble, mocked, and worn down. He writes:
Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal. – Psalms 69:4 NIV
He was clearly facing injustice and false accusations. Maybe he wrote this while running from Saul, when Israel refused to accept him as king (1 Samuel 19), or perhaps after his son Absalom turned against him (2 Samuel 15).
Whatever the situation, David knew what it was like to be attacked, betrayed, and exhausted.
But here’s the twist: in the midst of that unfair suffering, David gave thanks to God.
But as for me, afflicted and in pain— may your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. – Psalms 69:29-31
David understood how much gratitude pleases God. He made gratitude a priority, not an afterthought.
And that’s a beautiful reminder for us too: gratitude, especially when life is unfair, is one of the most beautiful gifts we can bring to God.
