The world we live in can feel very entitled. Despite the fact that many of our needs and wants are catered to, ungratefulness and dissatisfaction remain prevalent. When we’re going through the highs of life, it’s easy to feel gratitude and praise God. But what about when things aren’t going well — when finances are uncertain, there’s turmoil within your family and stress at work? When things don’t happen fast enough or the way we want it to, it leaves us feeling anxious and fearful. Yet through the ebbs and flows, gratitude remains a choice. To remain thankful through difficult times takes grit. Our roots have to be deeper than shallow happiness, and that only comes from knowing the grace of God (Psalm 1:1-3). The droughts of life are sure to come, and when we seek Him first our gratitude will naturally run deep (James 1:2-3; Philippians 4:4). In the face of disappointments, there is still so much to be grateful for. Though we’re often unable to change the circumstances that we’re in, we always have the ability to chance our reactions to them. Happiness is fleeting, and gratitude is recognizing that there is nothing better in the grace of God in our lives (Luke 22:17-19). As we look to Christ as our role model for growing in thankfulness, we will be able to choose joy no matter the season we’re in.