From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe thankful/grateful for small mercies/favoursbe thankful/grateful for small mercies/favoursto be pleased that a bad situation is not even worse She wasn’t too badly hurt, so we should be thankful for small mercies. → small
Examples from the Corpus
be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours• From now on she could be grateful for small mercies and be content to take one step at a time.• She wondered wryly whether to be thankful for small mercies, or to feel insulted. 