College is a unique time in a person’s life where life feels difficult and slow. Yet somehow, the four years end up flying by. Classes test your time management, roommates test your patience and professors test your knowledge. Amidst a season of new beginnings and opportunities, making time to be thankful for the opportunities coming your way can easily become scarce.

College is an example of turning a season of hardship into a season of preparation. Watch and see how your outlook can change when making thankfulness a priority in your life.

Amidst testing times, being grateful for the trials is often the last thing on our minds. As humans, it is natural for the feelings that come with being overwhelmed to turn into anger or feelings of depression. Engulfing ourselves with a list of obligations that never seems to end and burdening ourselves with negative thoughts can easily cause us to stumble into a damaging headspace.

Gratitude is another word for thankfulness or appreciation. Biblical gratitude is considered the recognition of the gifts in your life and giving thanks to the one who gave them to you. There are many examples of thankfulness in the Bible.

The Bible calls us to always give thanks to God. It is hard to be thankful during trials and tribulations, but it is very much possible to show gratitude without ignoring your pain. Acknowledging God’s faithfulness and goodness is a choice, not always a feeling.

Students encounter all kinds of different people all day. Inside classes, around campus and inside dorms. College is where students create and build some of the most important relationships in their lives. Every day, they are in class with the privilege of learning new things and sharpening their minds. What an amazing thing to be thankful for.

All the new and special things in college do not ignore the harsh reality that students face immense stress and concerns about emotional well-being. In fact, 1 in 5 college students say they feel stressed all or most of the time.^{(See disclaimer 1)} Gratitude comes into play when these feelings become overwhelming and seemingly overpower the blessings in your life. Praying for focus and resilience can help put all things into perspective.

Spending time in prayer and meditating in gratitude can not only clear your head but also help rewire the parts of your brain that are harming you and help you practice turning it into thankfulness.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." God's instructions for us are to give all our worries to Him and He will take care of them. We all know this is not a guarantee that you will suddenly not feel any more anxiety after praying. This verse demonstrates that we do not have to carry the weight of our worries alone.

Simply “giving all your worries away” is easier said than done. The best way to start coming before God with your anxieties is to pray as much as you can. God hears our every cry and He tells us to cast our worries on Him because He wants us to know that He can take away our anxiety.

Here is an example of an everyday prayer for gratitude:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the blessing of a new day. Amidst all the events in my life that have me feeling overwhelmed and anxious, I know You are in control of it all, and everything works out according to Your will and for your glory.

Thank You for Your kindness and Your new mercies every morning. Give me the strength to take on a new day and teach me to respond with gratitude when times get tough.

In Jesus name, 
Amen.

Taking a moment when you are overwhelmed with feelings of uncertainty and fear gives you time to refocus your mind on what matters. A simple minute of gratitude can change the whole rest of your day. Here is a quick practice: pause and name one good thing. Whether it’s the great job you have or just the fact that it’s a sunny day, recognizing the blessings in your life is the start to a life full of gratitude.

This works best during stressful moments because it shifts your perspective toward the good things in your life. You can also put this into practice by keeping a gratitude journal. This not only helps you realize how many moments of gratitude you have, but also shows you how many answered prayers you are living in.

God is the giver of the sweetest and best gifts. He is the one who deserves all our gratitude and the easiest way to show it is through our worship and prayer. Give Him praise for His goodness and blessing and give thanks to Him in prayer. Another way is to serve those around you. For example, volunteering through a school organization.

As a student, time easily becomes scarce. Stewarding your time and energy toward others is an act of gratitude, as it shows God you are grateful for those He has put in your life and that you strive to be an example of Him through those acts. Use these opportunities as a way to show the attributes of Christ.

An important part of your relationship with God is to remain honest with Him. When you’re feeling lonely, overwhelmed or maybe even angry, tell Him. John Calvin, a famous theologian, explains this concept in his book Institutes of the Christian Religion.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

To put this quote into perspective, Calvin is explaining that we must know ourselves in order to be wise. Remaining sincere and humble when we come to Christ means acknowledging what we already have to be grateful for. 

For example, when I pray to God about my stresses for the upcoming week, I cannot fail to thank God for all the blessings He has given me the week before. When feeling thankful feels difficult, remember that God has given you blessings that you likely have forgotten to acknowledge. In fact, His mercies are new every single morning.

Christian gratitude is different than worldly gratitude. Nonbelievers undoubtedly feel grateful for the things they love. But Christians acknowledge the same things with a deeper understanding of their origins. James 1:17 (NIV) says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Christians wear a different perspective when going through trials; they know that trials strengthen them and God is with them no matter what.

Practicing gratitude is more than waking up and saying, “Thank You, God, for this day. Amen.” Those kinds of prayers can quickly become meaningless and like a chore. A simple practice of gratitude besides prayer is to keep track of your answered prayers. For example, last week I prayed for safe travels on a flight. This week, I am thankful for God answering that prayer and easing my travel anxiety. 

Another simple practice is finding one person to thank every day. Whether that is thanking someone for holding the door for you or thanking someone close to you for always being there, this is not only a way to be kind and show God’s love but to feel gratitude for those people in your life.

Sometimes it seems like God isn’t listening because our prayers are constantly being answered with no. A way to put this into perspective is to end your week by asking yourself this question, “Was there anything that happened this week that was a protection from God?” We know God always hears and answers our prayers, but the answer isn’t always yes, though. Practice having this moment to realize that God really does have a hand in every little moment.

All of these little ways to grow can truly make a difference in your life. Building them as a consistent habit can grow your relationship with the Lord and make you a better disciple to those around you. Gradually, day by day, you will start to notice a mindset change where, eventually, when you experience hardships, you will focus on all the things you have been blessed with and immediately go to prayer for strength.

To grow in your knowledge of biblical studies, consider pursuing a theology degree today. God’s Word is our guide to life here on earth. Continue to spend time reading it and living it — then watch your life transform.