When Thank You Feels Too Hard // Grateful Anyway Series // The Remedy Church // Pastor Lav

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Gratitude Can Coexist with Grief

Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay or ignoring the pain; it means learning to worship and give thanks even when your heart is breaking and you don’t have all the answers. You can be honest with God about your hurt, your anger, and your confusion, and still choose to praise Him in the middle of your suffering. Job’s story shows that it’s possible to grieve deeply and still be godly, to cry and still be called, to be honest and still be holy. Gratitude doesn’t cancel out grief—it coexists with it, and sometimes the most powerful worship comes from the lowest places. [30:34]

Job 1:20-21 (ESV)
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Reflection: When was the last time you allowed yourself to be honest with God about your pain, and what would it look like to bring your grief and your gratitude to Him at the same time today?

Day 2: “In All This”—Choosing Not to Blame God

When life falls apart and disappointment hits, it’s easy to look for someone to blame—even God. But Job’s example is a challenge: even after losing everything, he did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. There’s a tension in being mad at God but not blaming Him, in wrestling with the fact that He allowed something to happen but trusting that He is still good. This is the hard, mature faith that refuses to let bitterness take root, even when the pain is real and the answers are few. [41:00]

Job 1:22 (ESV)
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Reflection: Is there a place in your life where you’ve been tempted to blame God for your pain? What would it look like to release that blame and trust Him with your questions today?

Day 3: Prepare for “One Day”—Faith in the Unexpected

Everyone will face a “one day”—the day when everything changes, when loss or disappointment comes out of nowhere. No one is truly prepared for these moments, but faith is about learning to find God even when your security is stripped away and your world collapses. The storms of life don’t care about your plans, your money, or your status, but in the middle of the collapse, you can still find Christ if you look for Him. The question is not if the “one day” will come, but how you will respond when it does. [19:09]

Psalm 46:1-2 (ESV)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.

Reflection: Think about a “one day” moment in your life—how did you respond, and how might you look for God’s presence in the middle of unexpected loss or change today?

Day 4: Cognitive Reframing—Changing Your Perspective

Sometimes the only thing you can change is your perspective. Cognitive reframing is choosing to look at the same situation from a different angle, not by ignoring the pain but by seeing what God might be doing in the midst of it. Praise is birthed out of perspective; two people can go through the same storm, but one finds despair while the other finds gratitude. When you reframe your pain, you can see that even in loss, God is still working, and you are still breathing—which means He’s not done with you yet. [45:24]

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflection: What is one painful situation you can look at from a new angle today, asking God to help you see His hand and His hope in the middle of it?

Day 5: Surviving the Worst—You’re Still Here

If you are alive today, you have survived the worst thing that has ever happened to you. You may still feel the consequences, but you are still breathing, and that means God has given you another chance. Out of your hardest seasons, you have gained wisdom, strength, and a deeper understanding of who God is. The fact that you’re still here is proof that God can bring something good out of even the darkest moments, and that your story isn’t over yet. [51:41]

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV)
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Reflection: Looking back on the hardest season of your life, what is one way you can see God’s faithfulness or growth in yourself that you couldn’t see at the time?

Sermon Summary

When life brings us to our knees and “thank you” feels impossible to say, we find ourselves in the company of Job—a man who lost everything in a single day, not because he did something wrong, but because he was doing things right. The story of Job is not just about suffering, but about the raw honesty of faith in the midst of collapse. We are often taught to celebrate the sunny days, but rarely are we prepared for the “one day” when everything changes, when loss and disappointment come crashing in waves, leaving us with more questions than answers.

In these moments, the challenge is not to ignore our pain or pretend that everything is fine. Instead, we are invited to be honest with God, to grieve, to be angry, to feel the weight of our losses. Job tore his robe and shaved his head—ancient signs of deep mourning—before he fell to the ground in worship. This is not a denial of grief, but a profound act of faith: gratitude and grief can coexist. True gratitude is not about being thankful for everything, but being thankful in everything. It is the stubborn, sometimes trembling, declaration that “the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, but may the name of the Lord be praised.”

This posture of gratitude is not natural; it requires what psychologists call “cognitive reframing”—the discipline of looking at the same painful reality from a different perspective. Praise is birthed out of perspective. Like the grandmother in the Katrina documentary who lost her house but not her life, we can choose to see what remains, not just what’s been taken. The enemy may use “one day” to bring havoc, but God can use “one day” to bring healing and hope.

If you are breathing today, you have survived the worst thing that has ever happened to you. You are wiser, stronger, and more aware of God’s sustaining presence. The invitation is not to minimize your pain, but to recognize that even in the darkest valley, God is still good, and something new can be born from your suffering. Gratitude does not erase the reality of loss, but it opens the door for God to bring something beautiful out of brokenness. In all of this, may we find the courage to say, “I am grateful anyway.”

Key Takeaways

1. Gratitude and Grief Can Coexist Gratitude does not require the absence of pain. In fact, true gratitude is often forged in the fires of grief and loss. Job’s story shows us that we can be honest about our suffering and still choose to worship. This coexistence is not denial, but a mature faith that acknowledges both the reality of our wounds and the goodness of God. [30:34]
2. “One Day” Moments Are Inevitable Everyone will face a “one day” when life changes unexpectedly—loss, disappointment, or heartbreak. These moments are not a sign of God’s absence or our failure, but part of the human experience. The question is not if we will face them, but how we will respond. Will we allow these moments to drive us away from God, or will we find Him in the midst of our collapse? [19:09]
3. Cognitive Reframing Births Praise How we interpret our suffering shapes our ability to praise. Cognitive reframing is the spiritual and mental discipline of looking at our pain from a new angle—seeing not just what was lost, but what remains and what God can still do. This shift in perspective is not easy, but it is essential for moving from despair to hope, and from bitterness to gratitude. [42:57]
4. Survival Is Testimony If you are alive today, you have survived the worst thing that has ever happened to you. This is not a small thing. Your survival is a testimony to God’s sustaining grace, and it means your story is not over. Out of your deepest pain, God can bring wisdom, resilience, and a new sense of purpose. [51:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Introduction to Job
[01:20] - When Thank You Feels Too Hard
[02:04] - Sunny Days and Cloudy Days
[03:25] - Grateful Anyway: Series Introduction
[04:41] - Wrestling with Disappointment
[05:52] - The Challenge of Gratitude in Hard Times
[07:10] - Job’s Story: Suffering and Righteousness
[09:04] - Job’s Character and Integrity
[10:54] - When the Righteous Suffer
[12:47] - Being Considered by God
[14:03] - The Avalanche of Loss
[19:09] - Preparing for “One Day”
[22:52] - Finding Christ in Collapse
[24:12] - Honesty Over Pretending
[28:36] - Grieving and Worshiping
[31:13] - Gratitude Doesn’t Cancel Grief
[35:13] - Thankful in Everything
[42:57] - Cognitive Reframing Explained
[45:24] - Praise Is Birthed from Perspective
[47:18] - Testimonies of Survival
[51:41] - You Survived the Worst
[52:57] - Finding Good in the Bad

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: “When Thank You Feels Too Hard”

Bible Reading

Job 1:13-22 (ESV)
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Observation Questions

What are the specific losses that Job experiences in Job 1:13-19? How quickly do these losses happen to him?
How does Job respond physically and emotionally to his losses in verse 20?
What does Job say about God in verse 21, and what does this reveal about his perspective?
According to the sermon, what does it mean that “gratitude doesn’t cancel out grief, it coexists with it”? [[30:34]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Job chooses to worship God immediately after experiencing such devastating loss? What does this say about his faith? [[31:13]]
The sermon talks about “one day” moments—times when everything changes suddenly. How does the story of Job help us understand or prepare for these moments in our own lives? [[19:09]]
The pastor introduces the idea of “cognitive reframing”—looking at the same painful reality from a different perspective. How does Job’s response model this, and why is it important for moving from despair to hope? [[42:57]]
The sermon says, “If you are alive today, you have survived the worst thing that has ever happened to you.” How does this idea change the way we view our own stories and God’s presence in our suffering? [[51:41]]

Application Questions

The sermon says that gratitude and grief can exist together. Think about a time when you were grieving or disappointed. Were you able to find anything to be grateful for in that moment? If not, what made it hard? [[30:34]]
The “one day” moments are described as inevitable. Is there a “one day” moment in your life that changed everything? How did you respond to God during that time? Did it draw you closer to Him or push you away? [[19:09]]
The pastor encourages honesty with God, even when we are angry or confused. Is there something you need to be honest with God about right now? What would it look like to bring your real feelings to Him instead of pretending? [[29:13]]
The idea of “cognitive reframing” is about seeing what remains, not just what’s been lost. What is one area of your life where you need to reframe your perspective? What is something you still have, even after loss? [[42:57]]
The sermon says, “If you are breathing today, you have survived the worst thing that has ever happened to you.” How does this truth encourage you? What is one way you can share your story of survival to encourage someone else? [[51:41]]
Job’s declaration, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” is a stubborn kind of gratitude. Is there a situation in your life right now where you need to say, “I am grateful anyway”? What would it look like to practice that this week? [[35:13]]
The sermon mentions that gratitude doesn’t erase the reality of loss, but it opens the door for God to bring something beautiful out of brokenness. Can you think of a time when God brought something good out of a painful season in your life? How did that change your faith? [[52:57]]

Sermon Clips

“But if you're anything like me, I don't know if I've been raised to really understand the cloudy ones. So after now pastoring for a little while now after being able to walk with people now over a decade of my life and seeing people go up and seeing people go down, seeing people go through life, but then see people have victories. What I've learned is that it's not hard to find God when you're on the mountaintop. Sometimes it's hard to find God when you're in the valley.”

“This is a series that you may have to sit into your reality and sink into where you are, but also to sink into where God is also in your life. To find spaces where you are grateful anyway. Have you ever had one of those moments where thank you just wouldn't leave out of your mouth?”

“The reality is is the thing that you're going through, you're asking God, "God, where in the heck are you?" And you're sitting there in the midst of pieces and fragments of something that you used to have a full service of. And you're sitting there thinking to yourself like, "How do I deserve so much pain? And how much how do I deserve so much turmoil? And how do I deserve so much disappointment?"”

“It's easy to shout and say thank you when the job calls you back. It's easy to shout and say thank you when your marriage is all good. It's easy to shout and say thank you when the doctor cures a disease. But my question is, are we mature enough to find a thank you when the job lets us go? And are we mature enough to find a thank you when the relationship lets us down?”

“Sometimes it's acknowledging that you're the one who messed up and that if God didn't answer you, it's not because he don't care about you. But here's the reality. You shouldn't be in that position in the first place. It's the acknowledgment that, hey, I may have made some mistakes. It's the acknowledgement that I may have went left when I should have went right. It's the acknowledgement that I'm not perfect. It's the acknowledgement that he is perfect.”

“Because in the society in which we live today, we have a lot of people who claim they fear the Lord, but they won't shun evil. Yeah. They'll they'll say that they're with God, but when evil is so very present in front of them, they don't speak to the evil that's in front of them. And so, the evil gets comfortable around godly people. It doesn't make any sense.”

“But by the time you get to the middle of chapter 1, Job goes through hell. He he goes through some of the hardest times that he's ever had in his life. Well, pastor, pastor, pastor, pastor, but you just told me that Job walked upright. You told me that Job prayed. You told me that Job honored God. You told me that Job uh stressed that on his family. You said that Job was a man that didn't embarrass God.”

“What am I just simply suggesting to some of the people who are watching right now from wherever you are watching from? That people who are in the room and you feel like you've been going through it. What if I suggested to you that you are not going through it because you've done something wrong, but you're actually going through it because you did something right.”

“The day before my spouse and I had no issues, but one day I found something on the phone that disappointed me. The day before my job was secure, but then one day that same job I walked into, they said I had to leave and go out the other direction. One day, the day before my mother was alive, but then one day she takes a turn for the worse.”

“But nobody tells you that when the storms are coming, you don't care about that money. that when the storms are coming, you don't care about who knows your name. That when the storms are coming, you don't care about what's in your bank account because I'll trade my bank account for that person's life at any given day. But I don't have that person, but I still have this.”

“Because if your church and your pastor doesn't tell you to be honest with God, I'm telling you that you're losing. Job has lost his oxen. Job has lost his sheep. Job has lost his camels. Job has now lost his children. And because God put so much credit into Job's bank account in the beginning, I know that if Job is as good as a God follower as God claims he is, I already know he's about to worship.”

“That you can grieve and still be godly? Yeah. That you can cry and still be called. That you can be honest and still be holy. What have I learned about gratitude? Here it is. Gratitude doesn't cancel out grief. It coexists with it.”

“If they would have saw Job, they' have said, "Job, what are you praising him for?" If they would have saw Job, they would have saw Job and said, "Why in the world are you worshiping a God that allowed the enemy to take everything? You look like a fool worshiping him." And then you sit there and you start thinking about it.”

“I'm talking to the people who felt like that was the way they solved their problem. That's how half of us got into our addictions. Drink this. It'll make you feel better. Smoke this. It'll make you feel better. And now you to smoke so much of it, it don't make you feel better until you do too much of it.”

“I've come to find out. Praise is birthed out of our perspectives. Y'all hear that? Praise is birthed out of our perspective. What do you mean by that, pastor? The same thing you sad about, I'm happy about.”

“I would have never known him as a healer unless I was hurt. I wouldn't have never known him as a keeper unless I had a moment in my life where I didn't feel kept. I wouldn't have known him for a savior if I wasn't in a position where he had to come save me.”

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