Advent 2025 - DAY 18 — JOY GROWS IN GRATITUDE

DAY 18 — JOY GROWS IN GRATITUDE
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…”

In 1997, a doctor in Boston ran an experiment with patients suffering from chronic pain. He asked half of them to keep a daily “gratitude list” — just three things every night.
After ten weeks, the patients who practiced gratitude reported less pain, better sleep, more energy, and higher hope.

One patient wrote, “I didn’t get a new life. I just learned to notice the one I have.”
Gratitude didn’t erase hardship, but it grew joy within it.

Reflection:
Gratitude is a doorway to joy. Not because everything is good, but because God is present in everything.
What simple gifts can you thank God for today?

Prayer:
Lord, open my eyes to the blessings around me.
Grow joy in me through a grateful heart. Amen.