We say thanks a lot, right?
“Thanks, Mom” for the packed lunch.
“Thank you, sir” to the grocery store bagger.
“Thank you, you shouldn’t have!” when your friend nails your birthday gift.

But thanking someone when life isn’t going well?
Yeah… that one feels weird.

It’s so easy to be thankful when things look good on the outside. It’s a whole different thing when the blessing isn’t visible or when everything hurts.

My maw maw passed away. Not only was she so loving, she literally could cook and bake circles around all of us… and somehow this year, we’re supposed to make Thanksgiving happen without her.

I’m literally about to attempt her famous pecan pie, and as silly as it is, my prayer has been… Jesus, let my dad enjoy my pecan pie this year. Any bit of joy.

Because grief makes the simplest things feel like mountains.

I made a simple goal this year.
I’m thanking God while I’m cooking.
I’m thanking Him while we sit around the table.
And I’m thanking Him even while doing dishes I wish she were here to dry.

Grief doesn’t erase gratitude.
And gratitude doesn’t erase grief.
They just… sit together.

Maybe your Thanksgiving looks different too. Maybe you lost someone. Maybe someone can’t come home this year. Maybe the family is changing. Maybe you’re celebrating a new job, a baby, a marriage, or a season you prayed for. Whatever it looks like, God stays constant through all of it. He mourns with us, He celebrates with us, and He never leaves the room. Behold he is doing a new thing!

So here are five people who thanked God when it made zero sense—and what we can learn from them.

1. Hannah Before She Had Samuel

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:10–20
Lesson: Thank Him before it happens.

Hannah thanked God before she ever held Samuel in her arms. That kind of faith is… wow. She prayed, trusted, and worshiped even in her waiting. Her gratitude wasn’t based on seeing the answer—it was based on knowing God was still good.

2. Jonah in the Belly of the Whale

Scripture: Jonah 2:1–10
Lesson: Thank Him in the middle of it.

Jonah thanked God while literally sitting in a fish’s stomach. I can barely thank God in traffic… this man thanked Him in a whale. Sometimes gratitude is the thing that carries you through the storm, even when you smell like you’ve been living inside a tuna can.

3. Mary When She Learned She’d Carry Jesus

Scripture: Luke 1:26–38, 46–55
Lesson: Thank Him when it doesn’t make sense.

A teenage girl hears she’s about to give birth to the Savior of the world, and her first response? Praise. Singing. Gratitude. She didn’t have all the details, and let’s be real, none of it made logical sense. But faith defies logic, and Mary leaned all the way in. I want that kind of faith.

4. Daniel After Being Sentenced to Death

Scripture: Daniel 2:12–23
Lesson: Thank Him when the world fights against you.

The king was furious, people were being sentenced to death for not interpreting his dream, and Daniel… opened his windows and thanked God. Talk about bold. Gratitude became his rebellion against fear. Let my response to a hostile world be prayer.

5. The One Leper Who Returned

Scripture: Luke 17:11–19
Lesson: Thank Him when no one else does.

Ten were healed. One came back. Just one. Gratitude doesn’t need a crowd, it just needs a heart that notices small miracles. The big ones, yes, but also the tiny ones: waking up today, a friend calling at the right time, the last good parking spot (I am so for real on that last one.)

We might have to change up the pecan pie recipe this year. But man, the love is still there.

Whether your Thanksgiving table is full, quiet, joyful, painful, or somewhere in between… God is with you in it. Sometimes it’s just a whispered, shaky “thank you.” And He receives it every time.

And since Thanksgiving comes with a little chaos, a lot of cooking… here’s something to fill the room while you cook, clean, or sit with your people:

10 Worship Songs Reminding Us to Give Thanks