Choosing Gratitude in Difficult Seasons — Even When Life Feels Heavy
A reminder that gratitude is not dependent on our circumstances. It is a choice we can make in every season of life.
The holiday season is here!
We have an entire month to intentionally focus on all that we have to be thankful for. And no matter what season of life you are in, I promise there is a lot.
Sadly, when we are in seasons of struggle, rebuilding, or pruning, we find it very hard to focus on gratitude.
Our very nature seems to pull us into comparison, regret, victim mentality, and all that we lack.
Trust me when I say, the more you continue to focus on those things, the more they seem to show up in your life.
The saying "misery loves company" is so true. Because as you share all of your misery, more seems to appear.
What you focus on grows.
And this is why choosing gratitude in difficult seasons is so incredibly important.
The Word tells us:
"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 · ESVNotice that Scripture doesn't tell us to be thankful FOR every circumstance. It tells us to give thanks IN every circumstance.
There is a big difference.
We don't have to be thankful for the struggle itself to recognize that there are still things to be thankful for while we're walking through it.
God Can Use What Was Meant to Harm You
The Word tells us that even the things the enemy planned to harm us, destroy us, derail us, confuse us, and depress us are the very things our Father God can use to grow us, help us, increase us, and lift us up for His name's sake.
Genesis 50:20 (ESV) says:
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good"
GENESIS 50:20 · ESVI love that!
The very thing that was meant to destroy you can become something God uses to develop you.
Romans 8:28 (ESV) reminds us:
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good"
ROMANS 8:28 · ESVNot just some things.
All things.
That doesn't mean every circumstance is good. It means God is able to work even through the difficult circumstances of our lives.
And sometimes the greatest growth comes from the very seasons we desperately wanted to escape.
Believe me, when you're in it, this is hard to remember.
Emotions are powerful things, and our minds can play tricks on us.
And the enemy of your soul knows this. He exploits it, exaggerates it, and expands it.
Before you know it, you can feel like you're sinking in quicksand.
But here's what I have learned.
If you can take even one step out of it, I promise you can take a second step, and a third, and a fourth.
Sometimes we just need to intentionally do something to interrupt the cycle.
Here are four things I personally do to force myself out of the muck when it feels like quicksand is pulling me under.
Four Ways I Practice Gratitude When Life Is Hard
I Play Worship Music and Force Myself to Sing
And let me tell you, I am NOT a singer!
But I sing anyway.
It is hard to stay in the muck when you are worshipping.
Matter of fact, let me change that.
It is impossible for me to stay in the muck when I am truly worshipping.
Something happens when we take our eyes off our circumstances and begin focusing on who God is.
His goodness.
His faithfulness.
His promises.
His love.
Psalm 100:4 (ESV) tells us to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Sometimes worship is the last thing you feel like doing.
Do it anyway.
Turn on the music. Open your mouth. Sing.
You don't need a beautiful voice. You just need a willing heart.
I Move My Body
Another thing I do is move!
I take a walk or work out.
Sometimes you need to change your body before your mind will follow.
There are days when you can sit and think and worry and replay the same thoughts over and over again.
Get up!
Go outside.
Move your body.
Take a walk.
Do something physical.
And double whammy points if you're listening to worship music while you're moving your body!
Woohoo!
Let me tell you, things change when you do this.
Movement doesn't magically make every problem disappear, but it can help you shift your focus, change your energy, and begin thinking differently.
And sometimes that is exactly what you need.
I Go Do Something for Someone Else
Another thing I do is go bless someone.
I send them an encouragement.
I exhibit an act of kindness.
I do something that I pray will bless someone else.
Even though I feel like the one who needs a blessing!
And then you know what?
I AM blessed as a result.
It's amazing what happens when we stop focusing exclusively on our own struggles and begin looking for ways to love and serve other people.
Acts 20:35 (ESV) reminds us:
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
ACTS 20:35 · ESVSometimes the greatest encouragement comes when you become an encouragement to someone else.
You don't need money to do this.
Send a text.
Make a phone call.
Pray for someone.
Write a note.
Tell someone what they mean to you.
You never know what someone else is walking through or how much your simple act of kindness could mean to them.
I Take a Daily Inventory of What I'm Thankful For
The last one I'll share is taking a daily inventory of the things I am thankful for.
I write them down.
I force myself to look back at my day and see anything I can possibly be thankful for.
And you know what?
I find LOTS of things.
Even on the hardest days.
Sometimes it's something big.
Sometimes it's something so small that I might have completely overlooked it if I wasn't intentionally looking.
But even something small that you can show gratitude for begins this amazing ripple effect, a chain reaction in your mind and heart.
The more you focus on those things, the more you begin to notice them.
Psalm 103:2 (ESV) says:
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"
PSALM 103:2 · ESVI love that Scripture tells us not to forget.
Because sometimes that's exactly what happens when we're struggling.
We forget all the things God has already done because we're so focused on what hasn't happened yet.
And this is where the discipline of gratitude becomes so powerful.
Philippians 4:8 (ESV) tells us to think about:
"whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable"
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 · ESVGod knew the importance of what we allow our minds to dwell on.
We don't have to deny the difficult things happening in our lives.
But we do have a responsibility to be intentional about what we focus on.
And gratitude helps us do exactly that.
My November Gratitude Challenge to You
My challenge to you this month is to focus each day on all you have to show gratitude for.
Tell others!
Shout it from the rooftops!
Post it on your social media accounts!
Let gratitude spread like wildfire.
Imagine what would happen if we spent as much time talking about what we're thankful for as we do talking about what's wrong.
Imagine the impact on our families.
Our relationships.
Our businesses.
Our communities.
And even our own hearts.
I want to challenge you to make gratitude a daily practice throughout November.
Not just on Thanksgiving.
Every single day.
Because the more intentional you become about recognizing the blessings in your life, the more you begin to recognize God's faithfulness in every season.
And that changes everything.
What's Happening at Kingdom Alliance in November 2026?
I also want to share some exciting things happening this month at Kingdom Alliance!
As we prepare to close out 2026 and step into 2027, we have some incredible opportunities to help you grow personally, spiritually, and as a leader.
ARMOR Leadership
This month, we have a very special offering designed to set you up for what could be the best year you've ever had.
It's called ARMOR Leadership.
And I am incredibly excited about this program!
ARMOR Leadership is the exact framework we have used over and over again to build massive teams, build community, develop leaders, and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.
This isn't just theory.
These are the actual leadership principles, systems, and strategies we have used throughout our careers.
And now we're bringing them together into one powerful program.
ARMOR Leadership is an 8-week live virtual leadership experience designed to help you build with greater clarity, alignment, confidence, and leverage.
Whether you're building a business, developing a team, leading a community, or preparing for your next season of growth, this program will help you start 2027 on the right path.
This program is legitimately worth thousands of dollars.
But I want to make it available to as many people as possible.
That's why we are offering special Black Friday pricing throughout the entire month of November!
I want you to think about what could change in your life and business if you entered 2027 with a proven leadership framework instead of just another list of resolutions.
If you're ready to lead differently, build intentionally, and create something that lasts, I would love to have you join us.
Learn more about ARMOR Leadership and register at our special November Black Friday pricing.
Explore ARMOR LeadershipRelationship IQ — Finishing Our 8-Week Academy
This month, Farras will be finishing up Relationship IQ, our amazing 8-week academy designed to help you navigate ALL the relationships in your life.
And I do mean ALL of them!
Your marriage.
Your family.
Your friendships.
Your business relationships.
Your leadership relationships.
Relationships impact every area of our lives, and learning how to understand, communicate, and connect with others is one of the most valuable skills we can develop.
I am so thankful for the incredible growth happening through this academy and for the opportunity to continue investing in our members.
The 2027 Kingdom Alliance Leadership Pass Is Back!
The Leadership Pass was a huge success last year, so we are bringing it back again this year!
And this is such an incredible value.
For any Kingdom Alliance member who wants VIP access to every live call, live academy, and on-demand resource included in the pass through December 31, 2027, the 2027 Leadership Pass is available for just $899.
Think about that.
At our regular $99 monthly membership rate, 12 months would cost $1,188.
The Leadership Pass is only $899.
That's a savings of $289 compared with 12 months at the $99 monthly rate.
And here's what makes it even better.
Your access begins the moment you enroll!
So if you sign up in November, you're getting the remainder of 2026 included, too!
That means an extra month of access to our leadership resources, live calls, academies, and community.
And that makes the 2027 Leadership Pass an even greater value.
But here's the important part.
This special Leadership Pass is only available during November and December.
If you already know that you want to be intentional about your personal growth, spiritual development, and leadership in 2027, why not make that commitment now?
Give yourself the gift of growth.
Give yourself the opportunity to stay plugged in, keep learning, and keep developing.
Because your growth impacts so much more than just you.
It impacts everyone you lead, love, and influence.
Get your 2027 Kingdom Alliance Leadership Pass for $899.
Your 2027 Leadership Pass is available through the Kingdom Alliance membership page.
Get the 2027 Leadership PassA Final Word About Gratitude, Faith, and the Season Ahead
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, I want to leave you with one final thought.
You may not be where you want to be.
Your life may not look the way you expected it to look.
You may be in a season of rebuilding, pruning, waiting, or struggling.
But that doesn't mean there is nothing to be thankful for.
And it certainly doesn't mean God is finished with you.
Sometimes we become so consumed with what we are waiting for that we forget to celebrate what we already have.
Don't let that happen.
Look around.
Look at the people in your life.
Look at the opportunities you've been given.
Look at the ways God has carried you through things you once thought you would never survive.
And thank Him.
Even if your voice shakes.
Even if your circumstances haven't changed.
Even if you have to force yourself to do it.
Choose gratitude.
Choose worship.
Choose to encourage someone else.
Choose to remember His faithfulness.
And choose to keep growing.
I am thankful for YOU.
Yes, YOU, the person reading this right now.
Praise Jesus that you were born and that you are here at this very moment in history.
You are such a gift.
And I pray that this November you will experience a renewed awareness of God's goodness, His love, and His faithfulness in your life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
With love,
Founder, Kingdom Alliance