So many times, I sit with people who say, “It’s always been like this. My whole life has been a mess. Nothing ever goes right.” And when I really listen—when I sit and dig deeper—I find something heartbreaking yet common: It’s not that good things never happen… it’s that they never stop long enough to notice them.

See, we can get so focused on the pain, the betrayal, the storm we’re walking through, that we carry it with us long after it’s over. We drag the weight of the last bad thing right into the next bad thing. And in doing so, we walk right past the blessings.

We become blind to the joy of a child’s laugh, the peace in a quiet moment, the miracle of waking up with breath in our lungs. We don’t mean to—our hearts just get stuck. And what we focus on most is what we feel the most.

But Scripture reminds us of something critical:

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

— James 4:14 (NASB)

Jesus Himself warned us—don’t be so focused on your plans for tomorrow that you miss the miracle of today.

Gratitude is a spiritual discipline. It’s not about ignoring the hard times. It’s about refusing to let them define you. You’ve been through things, yes—but you’ve also overcome things. God has carried you through valleys you thought would swallow you whole. And if you’re still here, you’re still breathing, then that means He’s not finished yet.

Let’s stop letting one storm cloud block out the whole sky. Yes, this too shall pass—but don’t miss the sunshine breaking through because you’re still looking at yesterday’s rain.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

— Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

Today is a gift. Don’t carry yesterday’s sorrow into it. Lift your eyes. There’s beauty right in front of you.

 

- Rev. Carlos Figueroa