Devotionals for the Heart: Why we need to be thankful in every season

Gratitude in Every Season
A devotional by Erica J. Hill

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”—Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

Life brings shifting seasons—joyful harvests, silent winters, and uncertain waiting.

There are seasons when our prayers are answered, doors open, and blessings seem to overflow. Gratitude comes easily when we can see the goodness of God everywhere. But there are other seasons when nothing seems to be growing, prayers remain unanswered, and we are waiting on God to move, heal, restore, provide, or simply show us what comes next.

Those are the seasons when gratitude can become difficult.

If I’m honest, it is much easier to thank God when life looks the way I hoped it would. It’s easy to praise Him for the open door, the answered prayer, the unexpected blessing, and the harvest we can finally hold in our hands. But what happens when nothing blooms?

Habakkuk gives us a beautiful picture of what gratitude looks like when life doesn't go according to plan. The fig tree isn't budding, there are no grapes on the vines, the olive crop has failed, and the fields aren't producing food. Everything around him says there is nothing to celebrate and then comes one powerful word: yet. We need to focus on Habakkuk’s quote: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” It’s important to note that his circumstances had not suddenly changed. The fields were still empty. What changed was where he placed his focus.

That is the kind of gratitude I want to have. Gratitude isn't pretending everything is okay when it isn't. It doesn't mean we cannot be disappointed, tired, hurt, or confused. Thanksgiving in every season is not denial of pain. It is recognizing that our circumstances can change without changing the character of God. The field may be empty, but God is still faithful. The answer may not have come, but God is still listening. The season may be difficult, but God is still present. Sometimes we spend so much time looking for the harvest that we forget God is still present in the field.

Thanksgiving is more than simply responding to what God has done; it is a doorway into His presence. When we thank Him, we shift our focus from our circumstances to His character. Instead of looking only at what is missing, we remember who God is. He is faithful, loving, and merciful. He is our Provider, Comforter, Strength, and Peace. Worship begins with a grateful heart that recognizes God's goodness in every season.

And when gratitude becomes worship, even ordinary moments can become sacred ones. When we begin paying attention, we realize there is evidence of God's goodness all around us. Every breath is grace. Every morning is mercy. Every blessing becomes another reason to praise Him. Even our battles can become offerings of worship, not because we are thankful for everything that has happened, but because we can still thank God in the middle of it.

Sometimes gratitude sounds like, “Thank You, Lord, for answering my prayer.” Other times it sounds like, “Lord, I don't understand, but I still trust You.” Sometimes it is a joyful shout, and other times it is a tearful whisper: “Yet I will rejoice.” Maybe that is the invitation for us this November. Instead of only asking, “What am I thankful for?” perhaps we should also ask, “Who has God been to me?” Who was He when the prayer wasn't answered, when you cried, while you waited, and when nothing seemed to be blooming?

When I look back over my own life, I can see that God was present in seasons I once thought were empty. He was sustaining me when I didn't realize I was being sustained, protecting me from things I didn't understand, and strengthening me in places where I thought I was simply surviving. Recognizing that He was there all along gives me another reason to be grateful.

This November, I don't want my gratitude limited to what is on my table or thanksgiving to simply be a list of everything that went right. I want to thank God for what He has given me, but even more, I want to thank Him for who He is. I want to remember that the same God who meets me in seasons of abundance is still with me in seasons of waiting.

Seasons will change. There will be harvests and winters, celebrations and disappointments, beginnings and endings. But God remains. And when nothing seems to be blooming, when I cannot see what He is doing, and when the season doesn't look anything like I expected, I pray my heart will still remember the words of Habakkuk: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Let’s Pray:

Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in every season. Teach me to be grateful not only for what You have done, but simply for who You are. When life is uncertain and I cannot see what You are doing, help me trust Your character and remember that You are still present. Let my gratitude become worship and give me a “yet” kind of faith that rejoices in You even when nothing seems to be blooming.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Song of Reflection #1: “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Praise” by Elevation Worship (feat. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore). Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “I’ll Trust You, Lord” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #4: “God Restores” by Dynamic Praise. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #5: “Not for a Moment” by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #6: “Seasons Change” by Crystal Lewis. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #7: “He Was There All the Time” by Gaither [Live] ft. Sue Dodge. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #8: “Hold On To Me” by Lauren Daigle. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia. 

With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.

Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.

She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.

Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.

Originally from Atlanta, Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.

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Connect with Erica:
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