The Small Things I’m Thanking God for Lately

Learning to see grace in the moments that are easy to miss.

I think sometimes we wait for big miracles before we call something worth thanking God for. But lately, I’m realizing how much of life — the kind that actually steadies my heart — is made up of small, quiet moments.

The little things I tend to rush past or take for granted are starting to stand out more clearly now. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve walked through some hard seasons recently, or if I’ve finally slowed down enough to notice, but I’m finding that gratitude often lives in the ordinary.

A Lesson in the Ordinary

Not long ago, I was sitting outside with my coffee, just watching the sky change colors as the sun came up. Nothing “special” was happening — there wasn’t music playing or some profound thought running through my head — but I felt a deep sense of calm.

I thought, This is enough.

For so long, I measured gratitude by how much was going right in my life. I thanked God when things worked out — when the bills were paid, the plans went smoothly, or the prayer got answered the way I hoped.

But as I’ve grown in my walk with Him, I’ve started to see that gratitude isn’t something that depends on what happens around me. It’s what happens inside me when I recognize His presence, even in the smallest details.

That morning, the sunrise wasn’t a miracle — it was just Monday. But it was proof that God keeps showing up in steady ways, painting reminders that His mercies really are new every morning.

Gratitude in Everyday Moments

Here are a few small things I’ve been thanking God for lately — moments that may seem simple, but mean a lot right now.

1. The First Quiet Minutes of the Morning

Before the noise of the day begins, there’s that peaceful sliver of time when everything is still. I sit with my Bible and coffee, sometimes reading, sometimes just sitting quietly. It’s not a grand routine — it’s just mine and God’s time.

Those moments remind me that before I try to handle anything else, I can simply rest in His presence. And that’s something I never want to rush past again.

2. A Text at the Right Time

I’ve had days when a friend’s message came through at the exact moment I needed it. It wasn’t always deep or spiritual — sometimes just a, “Hey, how’s your day going?” — but it was enough to lift my heart.

I think God uses those little nudges to remind us that He’s paying attention. He knows when we need comfort, and He knows who to send it through.

3. The Way Light Fills a Room in the Afternoon

There’s something about the way sunlight hits the floor or glows across the kitchen that just feels like peace. It doesn’t change what’s happening in the world, but for that small moment, it shifts my focus from worry to wonder.

4. Laughter After a Hard Day

The kind of laughter that comes unexpectedly — usually when I need it most.
It’s a small reminder that God’s joy isn’t lost even in heavy seasons. He still gives reasons to smile, even if they come through tears.

5. God’s Patience with Me

This one might not sound “small,” but it’s been something I’m noticing more lately.

Every time I start to drift back into old habits of worry or doubt, He gently brings me back. He doesn’t rush me. He doesn’t scold me. He just keeps showing up — patient, faithful, and kind.

Gratitude in the Middle, Not Just the End

One of the biggest lessons God’s teaching me right now is that gratitude isn’t just for the good endings — it’s for the middle, too.

The middle is where most of life happens — between the answered prayers and the promises still unfolding. It’s where the waiting feels long and the faith feels thin.

But it’s also where gratitude has the most power, because it’s where we learn to trust that God is still working, even when we can’t see how.

When we thank Him in the middle, it changes our perspective. We stop focusing so much on what we’re waiting for and start noticing how He’s already providing what we need to get through today.

And often, that looks ordinary — strength to get out of bed, a moment of calm when your thoughts are spiraling, or a verse that suddenly feels like it was written for you.

When Gratitude Feels Distant

There are still days when gratitude feels hard — when stress crowds it out or when disappointment hits too deep. On those days, I don’t try to force thankfulness. I just ask God to open my eyes.

I’ve prayed, “Lord, help me see what I’m missing.” And without fail, He shows me something — a memory, a small act of kindness, a moment of rest that I didn’t notice before.

Sometimes, gratitude is less about finding new blessings and more about remembering the ones that never left.

The Gift of Slowing Down

I think we miss a lot of gratitude simply because we’re moving too fast.

We rush through our days, already thinking about the next thing, the next task, the next problem to solve.

But when we slow down — even for a few minutes — we start to see things differently. The world doesn’t look as overwhelming; worries don’t seem quite as loud.

We start to notice how kind God is in the small, steady ways:

• The smell of rain.
  

• A song that takes us back to a good memory.
  

• A quiet evening when we can finally breathe again.
  

Those moments remind us that gratitude doesn’t have to wait for big breakthroughs. Sometimes, it’s right there in the pause.

How Gratitude Changes Us

Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard things, but it changes how we move through them.

It shifts our focus from what’s missing to what’s still present. It opens our hearts to peace and softens the sharp edges of our days.

When I start listing the small things I’m thankful for, it always leads to the bigger truth: that God has been good — not just in the easy times, but in all of it.

And that goodness becomes the anchor when everything else feels uncertain.

What I’m Holding Onto

I’m holding onto this: gratitude is a practice, not a performance.

It’s not about saying the right words or pretending life is perfect. It’s about choosing to notice God’s fingerprints in the middle of ordinary life.

The more I notice, the more grateful I become. And the more grateful I become, the more peace I find — right here, in the small things.

So maybe today, take a breath. Look around. There’s something — even something small — that you can thank Him for.

Because those small things? They’re often the biggest signs of His love.

With gratitude and faith,
Patti