Saying "Thank You" to God even when You Don't Have an Answer to Prayer

A Rosary Novena is my go-to prayer when life is challenging and I have something extremely important to pray for. I highly recommend it. It is fifty-four days of praying the rosary with accompanying prayers - the first three sets of nine days are petition with the last three sets being said in thanksgiving. I'm on day 42 of my current novena.

I always find it somewhat difficult to say the prayers of thanksgiving when I haven't yet received an answer. I tend to still phrase those prayers of thanksgiving as prayers of petition except that I start them with "Thank you." I know God answers all prayers. I know God has a plan. Trusting in all that is much easier said than done.

Yet, there is something powerful in those words; "Thank you." I try to remember to say them daily to God, but I don't remember as often as I should. I tend to see the negative in life more than the positive - something I definitely need to work on.