Episode 42
42 | How Gratitude Strengthens Your Trust in God (and Helps You Hear His Guidance)
Trusting God can feel like a leap into the unknown—especially for a Catholic mom juggling a thousand things at once.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about how gratitude can strengthen your trust in God, clear the fog when life feels chaotic, and become a practical tool for your discernment. Even in the middle of laundry piles and sibling chaos, noticing the small blessings can shift your mindset and reconnect you to God’s presence.
You’ll discover why gratitude matters for spiritual clarity, how it builds real trust (not just warm feelings), and how it anchors you when you’re trying to understand God’s plan. This isn’t fluffy positivity—this is a simple, daily habit that strengthens your faith and helps you walk your purpose with confidence.
With Thanksgiving here and the holiday season ahead, it’s the perfect time to slow down, refocus, and notice the blessings God is placing right in front of you.
Grab your notebook and pen—let’s start counting blessings and watching God illuminate the path ahead.
I pray that this episode blesses and encourages you!
Michelle
✨ Next Steps:
- Ready to Discover Your Unique Purpose with Clarity? Book your 1:1 Purpose Coaching Session Here
- Connect with Catholic moms discovering God’s plan in everyday life Here
- Receive Weekly Encouragement and Action Steps to Help You Move Forward with God: Subscribe to the The Inner Flame Here
✨ Feedback or Questions? Contact me at hello@michellebrannam.com
✨ Listen to Related Episodes:
- 15 | How to trust that God has a plan for you: 3 Practical Ways
- 34 | When Life Feels Chaotic, Here’s How to Stay Rooted in God’s Plan
- 39 | Ready to Find Your Purpose? How Trust in God Helps You Take the Next Step
🕊️ Scripture Mentioned:
Transcript
So when we become aware of the good in our life, it strengthens our trust in God.
Speaker A:And as humans, we like to see evidence.
Speaker A:Are we like Thomas?
Speaker A:And we need to see belief to believe have you ever felt stuck?
Speaker A:You're praying for clarity, but you're not hearing anything back.
Speaker A:You want to know God's plan for your life, but it all feels confusing and overwhelming.
Speaker A:What if the first step to hearing his guidance isn't figuring it all out but but learning to thank him for what he's already doing?
Speaker A:This week, as we head into Thanksgiving, I want to help you see that gratitude is one of the most powerful tools that you have for discernment.
Speaker A:When you start thanking God even before you have the answers, you're actually training your heart to trust Him.
Speaker A:Gratitude changes your attitude.
Speaker A:From uncertainty and overwhelm to surrender.
Speaker A:So from confusion to clarity.
Speaker A:So grab your notebook, journal and pen and let's pause together before the busy holiday season begins.
Speaker A:If you're ready to break free from stuck, gain clarity and take steps towards discerning your unique purpose, all while following God's guidance to become the person he created you to be.
Speaker A:If so, you're in the right place.
Speaker A:Hello, I'm Michelle, a Catholic discernment mentor and spiritual coach who went from lost and questioning my purpose to confident in my unique calling using a Catholic based strategy that places God and the Catholic faith at the center of Are you ready to dive in?
Speaker A:Grab your pen and notebook and get comfy, Open your heart and mind and invite God in as we get ready to become who God created you to be.
Speaker A:Let's do this.
Speaker A:I remember sitting on my couch during my pregnancy, feeling that deep ache of God.
Speaker A:What did you create me for?
Speaker A:I wanted to live the purpose that he had for my life.
Speaker A:But I didn't know where to start.
Speaker A:I searched for answers but nothing gave me that clarity or direction that I was hoping for.
Speaker A:I felt stuck, overwhelmed and a little afraid of getting it wrong.
Speaker A:But the moment I invited God into my search, everything changed.
Speaker A:He opened doors I didn't even know were there.
Speaker A:He revealed clues, he provided guidance and little by little he brought peace and clarity into places that once felt confusion and heavy.
Speaker A:And if you're sitting in that same place, you're wanting purpose.
Speaker A:You're craving clarity but unsure how to actually begin.
Speaker A:You're not alone.
Speaker A:Come join me for a purpose coaching session.
Speaker A:Let's begin uncovering the God given purpose that he's placed inside you through a simple, peaceful, prayer centered process that's guided by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Go to bit ly Catholic purpose coaching, which is bit ly Catholic purpose coaching.
Speaker A:And let's take this step together.
Speaker A:Let's dive in.
Speaker A:So last year, something unfolded in our home that honestly, it stopped me in my tracks and reminded me that God shows up even when things feel messy.
Speaker A:Here's what happened.
Speaker A:We ordered a wooden playground for our kids.
Speaker A:It was the nice wood one with the clubhouse, the slide and the swings, the ones you see in the backyards.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:And when the first set arrived, it was actually missing the slide.
Speaker A:So I started making phone calls to the company and even to the original manufacturer.
Speaker A:And I was trying to get this missing piece all sorted out.
Speaker A:So after talking on the phone to the company, they sent a second set.
Speaker A:So the second full set had showed up after being delayed.
Speaker A:This whole situation just was a complete giant mix up.
Speaker A:But I made more phone calls and I returned the extra set like any normal return.
Speaker A:And I figured everything was finally handled.
Speaker A:And when I checked my email a couple days, or maybe it was a week, and the company actually had refunded us for both sets, I couldn't believe it.
Speaker A:I literally did a double take.
Speaker A:I looked at my phone.
Speaker A:I had to read that email a second time to a triple time to even have to read it to my husband.
Speaker A:Like, I couldn't even believe it.
Speaker A:I hadn't planned for it, I didn't ask for it, but I was simply trying to do the right thing.
Speaker A:And that's when it hit me.
Speaker A:God often works in ways that we don't anticipate.
Speaker A:He provides even when the circumstances feel messy, and he blesses our faithfulness in just simple, quiet ways.
Speaker A:It was such a tangible reminder to pause and give thanks for how he's moving, especially in the little things that we don't see coming.
Speaker A:And you better believe I stopped and I thanked him for that blessing.
Speaker A:And it may not even be something as big as that.
Speaker A:When last night I had asked my daughter because she's not very good, always cleaning up her bedroom.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:She's almost four.
Speaker A:So I told her before leaving her bedroom after her bath, telling her, you need to clean these blocks up, you need to clean up your room.
Speaker A:And I lifted it.
Speaker A:That so after my husband came home and I was taking care of the dog and my son was asleep, I later that evening went upstairs to grab her milk, put it in the refrigerator, turn her light down, and I walked in and my jaw dropped.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Who cleaned her room?
Speaker A:Cause it's always me that cleans her room.
Speaker A:Or if grandma's visiting, grandma cleanser Room as well.
Speaker A:So I went upstairs and I asked my husband, I was like, did you help her clean the room?
Speaker A:And he goes, no, I didn't.
Speaker A:It was all on her.
Speaker A:So I was thankful and I thanked God for that blessing because she's now in that phase of, I want to help, Mommy, I want to help.
Speaker A:I want to help you, Mommy, I want to help you.
Speaker A:Which was good.
Speaker A:But this morning, when I was doing my gratitude, I wrote it down that I was thankful and I was blessed for put her stuff away, put her toys away.
Speaker A:So even something small like that is gratitude.
Speaker A:You know, I'm grateful.
Speaker A:That's something that was very important to me.
Speaker A:So we're talking about gratitude.
Speaker A:But what really is this importance of gratitude?
Speaker A:So having the habit of gratitude, it helps you start off your day on the right foot.
Speaker A:It helps you become more aware of where God is good in your life and where he allows the good to just happen in your life.
Speaker A:So that goes to the point with my daughter where, you know, cleaning up her toys when I expected it, like that was something good in my life.
Speaker A:And that happened.
Speaker A:Good.
Speaker A:I didn't have to in the morning and pick up her toys or take the time and pick them up.
Speaker A:So when you become aware of all the good in your life, you become aware of how God is good.
Speaker A:He wants and he wills good in your life.
Speaker A:So when we become aware of the good in our life, it strengthens our trust in God.
Speaker A:And as humans, we like to see evidence.
Speaker A:So think back to doubtful Thomas.
Speaker A:He wanted to see Jesus piercings for him to believe.
Speaker A:So Thomas was not there when Jesus came after his resurrection.
Speaker A:He did not want to believe that Jesus was alive and he appeared to them.
Speaker A:Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.
Speaker A: That is John: Speaker A:And then later Jesus appears when Thomas is with the disciples.
Speaker A:And he goes on to tell Thomas, you have believed because you have seen me.
Speaker A:Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
Speaker A:And that is John 29.
Speaker A:So are we like Thomas?
Speaker A:And we need to see belief to believe?
Speaker A:Most likely we do.
Speaker A:I am one that falls into that as well.
Speaker A:At times, everyone struggles with this.
Speaker A:I've even heard priests sometimes struggle with this as well.
Speaker A:Trust the having the faith.
Speaker A:This is why practicing gratitude is so important.
Speaker A:It helps us to start trusting in God, in the little things, even before we see the full picture.
Speaker A:So if gratitude helps us start trusting God, even when we can't see everything yet.
Speaker A:It makes me realize how much our mindset shapes what we notice in our daily lives.
Speaker A:And this leads me to something that I read this morning that really made me pause.
Speaker A:So here's the powerful statement that made me step back and really think about it in a different light.
Speaker A:As I was reading it while eating my breakfast this morning, Brian Proctor said this.
Speaker A:It's often been said that the person who looks for the good in the world sees a world of good.
Speaker A:The person who looks for the bad in the world sees the world of bad.
Speaker A:So our attitude, our mind, our energy, it has a direct effect on others around us.
Speaker A:So if we're not in the place of gratitude, our attitude is not the best.
Speaker A:And I've seen it with my family.
Speaker A:If I don't start my foot off on the right step in the mornings, unfortunately it spills on to my family that's around me.
Speaker A:So if I have the right mindset and I see the good around me, I tend to have a better day.
Speaker A:And this goes with trusting God.
Speaker A:So if I start the morning off becoming aware of the good that he has placed in my life, then I have a stronger faith and trust in Him.
Speaker A:It reminds me that God has my back.
Speaker A:And so the more we focused on the good that God has placed in our lives, the more it shifts our perspective beyond just our daily mood.
Speaker A:So it helps us to see that he's at work in us, even if we can't fully understand the bigger picture.
Speaker A:Which brings me to something really important.
Speaker A:When we focus on God and the good in our lives, it reminds us that God is working in the background.
Speaker A:We may not see it at first unless we look for his goodness.
Speaker A:And it helps us to take the focus away from not knowing yet what will happen.
Speaker A:And it turns our mind and our heart and our soul that God is a loving God and that he's good and he only wants the best for us.
Speaker A:And another thing that I heard this morning, I was listening to some stuff was I heard someone making reference, I think it was to Steve Jobs made a quote about how you can't connect the dots until after you look back.
Speaker A:So this is true with God.
Speaker A:We can't see the plan that he has for us until after we're looking back and connecting the dots, which is very true.
Speaker A:It's just like the story of the place set.
Speaker A:I didn't understand what was going on.
Speaker A:All the little, the huge giant mix up that I was having and the struggle, the obstacles that I was going through just to get this for my kids that later when I connected the dots, I was like, oh, I see.
Speaker A:God was doing this for me.
Speaker A:This is why this happened.
Speaker A:It was helping me connect the dots.
Speaker A:So when we say thank you for the things that he's done in our lives, we build our trust in God.
Speaker A:It's saying, thank you God.
Speaker A:I see you are good and that you want good in my life.
Speaker A:And when we start to worry or become anxious, it just helps us to reposition our mind and hearts and it helps us draw closer to Him.
Speaker A:It helps us to take that and remind us that God is good, God is looking out for me, he's got my back.
Speaker A:And that'll help you want to grow closer to God.
Speaker A:Then you can build that trust in Him.
Speaker A:And if we cannot appreciate the good in our lives, it makes a difference.
Speaker A:So think about a time when you did a nice thing for someone and they didn't acknowledge it.
Speaker A:How did you feel?
Speaker A:Not so great right now.
Speaker A:Think about a time when you did something good for someone and they acknowledged it and they thanked you.
Speaker A:See the shift on your heart.
Speaker A:So as we show gratitude for God and all that he's done for us, it helps us to become more willing and easier to surrender all areas of our lives over to God.
Speaker A:So I gently remind myself that God provided for me in the past and he'll continue to provide for me, that I can trust Him.
Speaker A:So that is the importance of gratitude and how it can strengthen your trust in God.
Speaker A:So I want to help you start practicing gratitude.
Speaker A:And it's something that's very simple and doable as a busy mom because we're very short on time juggling all the things.
Speaker A:So I want you to grab your journal and if you don't have one, be sure to get one.
Speaker A:Because in this podcast and in our Facebook community Finding youg Purpose, Discernment and Strategy for Catholic Moms and also in my weekly Interflame devotion I send out, you'll find journal prompts and self reflections in there to help you on your journey.
Speaker A:And all the links to these resources are found in the episode description that are located in the next steps and you can click those if this feels something like, oh, I really want to do some more journaling prompts and more self reflection ways to start taking action.
Speaker A:Be sure to check out those resources.
Speaker A:If you don't have a journal or you left your journal in another place, no worries.
Speaker A:Just grab a sheet of paper and write down if you can, three to six things that you're grateful for and don't make this academic.
Speaker A:No pressure.
Speaker A:There are some days that I only write one thing, and that's okay.
Speaker A:It's at least showing gratitude to God.
Speaker A:Or you can write this in your notebook in your notes for you to start implementing for me.
Speaker A:I personally like to do this in the mornings, but sometimes I've had a rough night and I'm unable to get up before the kids wake up.
Speaker A:So then I'll do it right after everyone is settled.
Speaker A:Or I'll end it in my day doing this as well.
Speaker A:So just to recap, here's a summary of what we talked about today and to anchor ourselves to Gratitude opens your eyes to where God is good in your life.
Speaker A:Your mindset determines what you notice and gratitude and shifts your focus towards God's goodness and thankfulness.
Speaker A:Helps you surrender because it reminds you that God has provided before and he will provide again.
Speaker A:Let us pray in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Our Heavenly Father, thank you for the many blessings that you have given us today.
Speaker A:Sometimes we're not aware of your kindness and goodness in our lives.
Speaker A:Help us to strengthen our trust in you and help us to say thank you daily for the blessings in our lives.
Speaker A:Father, we make this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Now let's take this from our head to heart, from simply understanding it to actually living it out today.
Speaker A:So I want you to start practicing gratitude in your day.
Speaker A:Start building that habit of gratitude for God and all the blessings in your life.
Speaker A:In your journal, write down three to six things that you're grateful for and remember, you don't want to make this academic.
Speaker A:No pressure.
Speaker A:Some days you may only have one thing to write and that's perfectly okay.
Speaker A:And I'd love for you to share over inside our Facebook community finding your purpose, discernment and strategy for Catholic moms what you're grateful for.
Speaker A:I'd love to see how God is blessing you and hear your reflections and remember, my beautiful sister in Christ, that God uniquely created you for a unique purpose.
Speaker A:You were made to do great things.
Speaker A:God is within you and you will not fail.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:I'll meet you next Tuesday for another conversation.
Speaker A:Until then, may God bless you and bring you peace.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker A:I pray that today's episode blesses and encourages you.
Speaker A:If so, would you please share it with someone you know that would be blessed by it?
Speaker A:If you felt inspired or learned something Today, please take 30 seconds to leave a written review on Apple Podcasts.
Speaker A:This is the number one way to let me know that you are liking the show and for me to reach other Catholic women like yourself.
Speaker A:If you're feeling uncertain or lost on your discernment journey, you're not alone.
Speaker A:Join us over in the free Facebook community where Catholic women just like you are sharing, supporting and growing together in faith.
Speaker A:I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Speaker A:God bless you.
