2025 is in its sunset phase. As I write, Christmas is a week away and the new year is coming into view. This is a natural moment to pause and look back. Have you taken time to reflect on the year that’s almost gone? When you do, what comes to mind?
Let me suggest a healthy way to process 2025. It centres on gratitude.
In her book, The Inside of the Cup, Jeannie Shaw writes:
“Gratitude, awe and praise are not spiritual ‘extras’; they are transformative.” (p. 43)
If the events of the year are to shape us in the way God intends, gratitude has to play a part. Grumbling, resentment, or quiet bitterness towards God won’t do that work in us. Those responses deform us rather than transform us.
Expressing gratitude, it seems, sits close to the heart of our relationship with God. The psalmist urges us to:
Sing to the LORD with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp. Psalm 147.7
At this point you might be thinking, “That’s all very well, but you haven’t lived my year.” That’s true. But you are still here to reflect on it. God has given you a little more time on this planet. Even that, on its own, is reason enough to pause and give thanks.
What is gratitude?
Before we go any further, it’s worth being clear about what gratitude actually is. It isn’t pretending things were fine when they weren’t. It’s not putting on rose-tinted glasses or minimising pain.
Jeannie defines gratitude simply as:
“Recognising and responding to God’s goodness.”
There are two steps here. First, recognising God’s goodness. Second, responding to it. Reflection followed by rejoicing.
Two questions can help:
- What has God done that is good, even if it didn’t feel good at the time?
- What did God do that I can now see was helpful, even though it might have been painful?
A distraction-free walk with God, or some quiet time shut away from the noise, can give you the space you need to reflect honestly and notice God’s goodness.
I managed to carve out a chunk of time to do this and began writing a list of things I was grateful for. I’ve revisited that list several times over the past couple of weeks and keep finding new things to add. I started with the obvious joys, like time spent with my granddaughter. More recently, I’ve added some of the harder things.
One of those was a season of excruciating sciatica. How can I be grateful for that? Partly because it eased towards the end of the year. Partly because it deepened my bond with friends who have walked the same road and showed real empathy. And partly because it reminded me of my limitations and grounded me more firmly in the grace of God.
A suggestion
Take some time today, or in the days ahead, to pray and ask God to show you what to be grateful for. Write it down. Then respond with thanks and praise.
If you’re willing, let me know what you discover. I’d genuinely love to hear.
Your brother,
Malcolm
