What if gratitude isn’t just what you give after the breakthrough… but what carries you through the middle of it?
Audio Version is available below…
Philippians 4:6–7 (NASB)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
When Gratitude Gets Hard
What if gratitude isn’t just what we give after the breakthrough,
but what carries us through the middle of it?
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.
Because gratitude feels easy when everything’s steady, when the prayers are answered, when your people are healthy, when the bills get paid.
But what about when things are messy and unfinished?
When you’re waiting for the phone to ring or praying for something that doesn’t seem to change?
That’s the middle.
The place between “I know God is good” and “I can’t see how this is going to work.”
And if you’ve ever lived there, you know….your heart starts to ache for control.
That’s usually when my gratitude shrinks.
I stop thanking and start thinking. I try to fix, to figure it out, to get ahead of the pain.
And that’s where Philippians 4 stops me every time.
“In everything, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…”
Did you notice it?
The thanksgiving comes before the peace.
Not after the breakthrough, not once the miracle shows up,
but right there…. in the middle of it.
What Paul Knew
Paul wasn’t writing this from a calm, cozy corner of life.
He was in prison, waiting for trial, chained to guards.
He didn’t have clarity. He didn’t know the ending.
But he had something most of us are desperate for, peace that doesn’t make sense.
And somehow, he’s telling us how to find it.
When Paul says, “Do not be anxious,” he’s not shaming us for feeling it.
The word he uses means “to be pulled apart in your thoughts.”
It’s what happens when your mind starts tugging between faith and fear,
between what you know about God and what you see in front of you.
So Paul isn’t saying, Don’t ever feel anxious.
He’s saying, Don’t let anxiety have the last word.
When your thoughts start to scatter, bring them back home to gratitude.
Gratitude as the Guard
When Paul writes, “the peace of God will guard your hearts,” he’s painting a picture.
He’s sitting in chains next to Roman soldiers, men assigned to stand guard.
And he uses that image on purpose, because peace is not passive.
Peace stands watch.
It doesn’t just comfort you; it protects you.
It stands between you and the swirl of your own thoughts.
Gratitude is what opens the gate for that kind of peace.
It’s not pretending everything’s fine.
It’s letting your heart say, “Even here, You are good.”
Gratitude in the middle looks like whispering thanks while you’re still waiting.
It looks like trusting that God’s presence isn’t postponed until the answer comes…. it’s here, guarding you now.
When I Forget
For me, this usually happens in the small, ordinary moments.
When I’m doing dishes and realize I’ve been holding my breath for ten minutes.
When my shoulders are tense and my mind is racing through worst-case scenarios.
That’s when I need the nudge to come back.
I start small, and peace starts to rise.
Because gratitude doesn’t change the circumstance,
but it changes how I see it.
Gratitude doesn’t just shift your mood; it shifts your lens.
It clears the fog long enough for your heart to see what’s still beautiful, still sacred, still held by God.
The Invitation
Maybe you’re in that middle place right now.
Maybe your story feels half-written and you’re tired of waiting for the ending.
Here’s the good news: peace isn’t found at the finish line.
It’s found in the posture of thanksgiving along the way.
Paul’s words aren’t pressure; they’re invitation.
God’s saying…. let your gratitude lead your heart back to Me.
Let it become the bridge between what you’re carrying and Who’s carrying you.
Reset Step: Gratitude in the Middle
This week, when anxiety starts to rise, pause.
Whisper thanks for three small things, whatever you can see, whatever you can still hold.
Let your gratitude open the door for peace to walk back in.
Because gratitude doesn’t erase the waiting…
It steadies you while you wait.
Free Resource This Week: Gratitude in the Middle Playlist
A Gentle Tool to Help
To help you carry this rhythm into real life, I created The Gratitude Reset Field Guide.
Inside, you’ll find the “Gratitude in the Middle” Playlist… a collection of worship songs for the waiting seasons.
This playlist is for the in-between moments. When you need peace but don’t feel it yet, when your thoughts start to spin, when you’re trying to hold steady.
You can find it inside The Gratitude Reset Field Guide, available in The Reset Room.
If you’re not in yet, subscribe today and I’ll send you the password.
Because gratitude isn’t just how we respond after the miracle.
It’s how we posture our hearts while we’re still in the middle.
Keep Living, Learning, and Seeing it all through the Lens of His Grace,
Jessica Lee
HER VIEW OF HIS GRACE 
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