Thanking God for What's Gone

Thanksgiving has a predictable rhythm every year. We gather around long tables. We list the blessings. We talk about family, food, and favor. That's all good, but there is another side of gratitude we rarely mention. A quieter side. A deeper side. A side that grows you up.

This year, I'm thanking God for what I don't have.

There's a strange kind of healing that comes when you stop forcing yourself to be grateful in the same old way. Honestly, a lot of us walked through a season that took things from us. People left. Opportunities dried up. Friendships faded. Money shifted. Health changed. Plans fell apart. Some losses cut so deep that pretending they were blessings felt dishonest.

Here's where everything starts to turn. Sometimes what you lose is the thing that sets you free.

Gratitude is not only about holding on. It's also about releasing what was never meant to stay. I'm grateful that God shut some doors. I'm grateful that certain relationships ended before they drained the last bit of joy out of me. I'm grateful that some situations collapsed, because they forced me to grow. I'm grateful that what I thought I needed did not last, because God knew better.

I'm even grateful that I outgrew some versions of myself. The insecure version. The 'quiet to keep the peace' version. The people-pleasing version. The broken version that thought settling was noble.

They served their time, but they cannot come with me into what God is doing now.

I want you to know that being thankful for what is gone does not make you cold. It makes you honest. It makes you aware of God’s protection. It reminds you that His pruning is not punishment. It's preparation.

S.W.A.G - Unisex Heavy Blend™ Hooded Sweatshirt

From$60.00$45.00

Buy Now

This kind of Thanksgiving is for the ones who have cried this year. The ones who had to start over. The ones who walked away from things that once felt comfortable. The ones who buried dreams and loved ones. The ones who said goodbye to old seasons with no idea how the new one would unfold.

You are not empty. You are being cleared. There is a difference.

So this Thanksgiving, pause and honor what God removed. Honor the lessons that came wrapped in loss. Honor the space He created for new strength, new joy, and new alignment.

Thank God for what you do not have, because sometimes that missing piece was the very thing blocking your peace.

This is the gratitude that builds you. This is the Thanksgiving that transforms you. And this is the kind of thank you that sets your spirit free to receive what is coming next.

A new chapter begins when you stop clinging to what God already released.

If this message spoke to you, share it with someone who needs a reminder that gratitude can look like letting go. You can also join our Be Inspired For Real community for more encouragement, connection, and real growth.

---

Janette Owens is the founder of Be Inspired For Real, a faith-based platform that helps believers grow through uplifting content, community, and Christian life coaching. She is also the author of A Swan Song, a heartfelt collection of poems and short stories. Janette lives in Olive Branch, Mississippi.