Thanking God for Nothing and Everything

Davidia Sydney

Sometimes we look around at our life and think nothing is happening. Nothing exciting. Nothing new. Nothing life changing. We think about how ‘boring’ our life feels. How there’s nothing to really look forward to. How it feels like we’re living the exact same day over and over again.

We get up.
We eat the same things we ate yesterday.
We take the same road to work.
We talk to the same people to the point where conversations start to feel scripted.
It becomes the same old routine. Same old painfully average life.

And slowly, without even realising it, we start drifting away from God. Not because we hate Him. Not because we stop believing in Him. But because we stop noticing Him.

We begin taking our life for granted.
We begin taking His daily provision for granted. We become so focused on what isn’t happening that we forget to appreciate what is happening.

The truth is, even in seasons where it feels like there is ‘nothing’ to thank God for, there is actually everything to thank Him for.

The fact that we woke up this morning is a blessing.
The fact that our heart continued beating through the night without us even thinking about it is a blessing.
The roof over our head is a blessing.
The bed we sleep in is a blessing.
The leftovers we’ve been eating for three days straight are still a blessing, because there are people praying for the kind of meal we’re tired of.
Our job is a blessing. Whether it’s permanent or not. Whether we love it or not.
Clean water flowing through our pipes is a blessing.
Being mentally okay enough to get through the day is a blessing.
Having people we love around us is one of the greatest blessings of all. Being able to laugh with them is a blessing.

Even the ordinary parts of life are gifts from God. Sometimes we think blessings only look like answered prayers, big victories, miracle breakthroughs we post online, or dramatic testimonies. But most blessings are quiet. Sometimes, the greatest blessing is not excitement. Sometimes, it’s consistency and stability. Sometimes, it looks like peace. Sometimes, it looks like another normal repetitive day.

There are seasons where God protects us so quietly that we mistake His protection for boredom. We call it ‘nothing happening’, while it’s really peace. We call it ‘stuck’, while it’s really stability. We call it ‘ordinary’, while it’s really God providing. We call it ‘routine’, while it’s really God sustaining you.

Life can start to feel like we’re living on autopilot, but maybe part of the reason it feels that way is because God is carrying so much for us behind the scenes. He is protecting us from dangers we never saw. He is opening and closing doors we don’t even know about. He is making sure we are provided for in ways we barely notice anymore.

The Bible says: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” (Thess 5:18). Not just in exciting or perfect circumstances. Not just in miracle-filled circumstances. In all circumstances. That includes the quiet, repetitive, waiting seasons. The seasons where life feels slow.

Sometimes, we spend so much time chasing the next big thing that we completely miss the goodness already sitting in front of us for which we need to be grateful.

Gratitude changes the way we see our lives. When we stop constantly focusing on what we lack, we begin noticing everything God has already given us. And suddenly the life that felt ‘empty’ starts looking full. Full of grace. Full of protection. Full of provision. Full of small mercies we overlooked.

So today, instead of only thanking God for the huge prayers He answered, thank Him for the ordinary things too. Even when we see ‘nothing’, to thank Him for, remember that we have EVERYTHING to thank Him for.