In a recent podcast, the host asked me a question I often hear: “Are you not bitter?” We were discussing my tumultuous childhood, which was marked by danger, instability, and moving across four countries before I turned seven.
The truth is, I’m not bitter – I’m grateful.
Those challenges weren’t just obstacles to overcome, they were also the fire that forged my abilities today. The instability, social unrest, and personal trials taught me resilience, sharpened my perspective, nurtured my creativity, and taught me to tell stories that matter.
In other words, suffering can absolutely be turned into victory. I’m doing a free group coaching webinar on exactly how that works on December 18th at 12pm CST. Claim your spot.
Suffering has been my greatest teacher, and I wouldn’t trade its lessons for anything. You’ll hear this sentiment voiced by most people you admire if you pay attention to their words. What is the catalyst that transforms suffering into something valuable? Gratitude ranks on the very top of my list.
Gratitude transforms how we see life and the world around us. We have a holiday dedicated to it in the U.S., but no Thanksgiving week is 100% free of anxiety and scarcity – there’s always something pulling at us. Gratitude doesn’t erase these challenges; it reframes them, shifting our focus from scarcity to abundance.
Consider some of the recorded instances when Jesus gave thanks to God. Gratitude precedes abundance because it recognizes God as the source.
Jesus gave thanks before the miracle of feeding the 5,000. “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them” – Luke 9:16.
Jesus gave thanks before asking God to resurrect his friend Lazarus. “Father, I thank you that you have heard me” – John 11:41.
As Christians, we are invited to adopt the same mindset of gratitude in literally every situation: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” – Philippians 4:6-7.
Our weekly communion practice is, in essence, a gratitude practice. Jesus himself modeled a posture of heart that is both challenging and inspiring. The apostle Paul passed this on to us in his letter to the Corinthians, reminding us that Jesus gave thanks on the very night he was betrayed.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks (εὐχαριστήσας, eucharistēsas), he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” – 1 Corinthians 11:23-24.
Communion is also called the Eucharist based on the original text: εὐχαριστία (eucharistia) = “thanksgiving” or “gratitude.”
The Greek breakdown of the word is:
- εὖ (eu) = “good” or “well.”
- χάρις (charis) = “grace,” “favor,” or “gift.”
Combined, εὐχαριστία implies a “good grace” or “thankful acknowledgment of a gift.”
What are the gratitude practices that can tap into the abundance of God?
Here are five gratitude practices I use daily and weekly:
- Daily journaling: Writing down what I’m grateful for over the past 48 hours brings abundance to light.
- Reflecting on suffering: Revisiting my past challenges as teachers reveals deep lessons about life and human nature.
- Expressing gratitude: Thanking someone daily builds connection, joy, and perspective.
- Weekly Sabbath: A full day of rest, delight, and gratitude is the most transformative rhythm in my life.
- Creating art: Making something for the sake of beauty is an overflow of the gifts I’ve received.
May gratitude shift your perspective and fill your life with abundance. My life story episode I referred to on the No Man’s Friend podcast is below.
Christian Ray Flores is a coach at Xponential and evangelist at the Austin Christian Church. He writes a popular weekly newsletter Headspace by Christian Ray Flores.
