We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:2-18 NASB).
Thankfulness and the Art of Practicing Gratitude
There is a difference between being thankful and practicing gratitude. John Kralik, in his book 365 Thank Yous, shares a personal story of gratitude and transformation. His life was in shambles. His business was failing, and he had just suffered a second relational collapse. While hiking one day in the hills outside of LA, Kralik began to wonder if gratitude might change his life. He determined to write one thank you note by hand every for 365 days. Gratitude changed his life!
A grateful spirit yields fantastic benefits. Advancement in modern neuroscience reveals positive emotions impact on every cell in our bodies. Gratitude lowers blood pressure! Emotionally gratitude also is known to reduce depression. We benefit when we obey God’s command to practice gratitude. A lifestyle of gratitude will impprove your relationships. Gratitude inspires a greater desire to be helpful, more generous, compassionate, and forgiving. Overall, gratitude will reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Three Examples of Gratitude in the Bible
When the ark of the covenant returned, King David practiced gratitude by dancing before the Lord. Therefore, I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight” (2 Samuel 6:21-22).
Hannah practiced gratitude through prayer. Her prayer of thanksgiving in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 expresses her deep sense of gratitude.
Ten lepers called to Jesus, begging for healing. He heard their pleas and healed them. We are not sure what happened to the other nine, but only one leper returned and declared his gratitude at the feet of Jesus. “He returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at [Jesus’] feet, giving Him thanks” (Luke 17:15-16). This man received a double healing that day.
Are you practicing gratitude? Gratitude is a focused appreciation of what you have as opposed to a focus on the things you lack. An attitude of gratitude makes all the difference. The difference between a prison and a monastery is an attitude of griping or an attitude of gratitude. -David O Soper. There are several critical aspects of gratitude for us to consider.
- Gratitude acknowledges we have received something that brings fulfillment.
- It is inspired by the awareness others genuinely care about us.
- It celebrates significant life achievements.
- Honors hard work (ours and others), sacrifice, and the seizing of opportunity.
- It helps us to see all of life as a gift.
We have many reasons to be thankful! Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. 18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:17-18).
A Few Things to be Thankful For
- Life! All of creation, including you!
- We can rejoice in the grace of God. The power of the Gospel has saved us. We have been washed clean and declared righteous. The generosity of God has provided us with new birth and living hope. Our losses here are significant but only temporary. Our gains, however, are eternal. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials (James 1:2).
- We have the promise of God’s presence-the Holy Spirit-Who empowers and enables us. The presence of the Holy Spirit helps us to be more like Jesus and to do what he would do in our world.
- We have the inspired word of God (Bible)-the message of Truth- to comfort and guide us. The Word of God is a lamp for our souls and a light for our paths. It is a sword dividing right from wrong and an endless source of wisdom.
- A heritage of faithfulness. We read about it in scripture and church history. We can see it in our families! There are so many inspiring examples of devotion for us to follow. We, too, have the opportunity to practice faithfulness on to those who follow us.
- The opportunity to worship. God’s great generosity inspires worship even in the face of intense challenge and adversity. “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-18) The Apostle Paul learned to be content in every circumstance because of God’s generosity (Phil 4:11-13). Worship is an opportunity to offer a thank you to God for His kindness. Worship is a choice. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20 NKJV). We have the opportunity to Praise the name of Jesus. It is the only name that saves. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name (Psalms 100:4 NAS).
Five Ideas for Practicing Gratitude
1. Take a few moments at the beginning or end of your day to list three things you are genuinely grateful for.
2. Set a goal of sending one thankyou note each week to a family member or coworker. Be specific about what you are thankful for and share how it has impacted you.
3. Take time to celebrate your accomplishments and the accomplishments of others.
4. Spend some time praying in your place of worship, home, or a beautiful setting. Express thanks to God for the many blessings He has provided.
5. In his book, Flourish Martin Seligman suggests increasing our happiness via an exercise called The Gratitude Visit. Can you remember someone still living who did something that made your life better? Preferably, someone you have never properly thanked. All too often, we don’t say thank you or don’t take the time to say thank you thoughtfully and purposefully. The task is to write a letter thanking them and deliver it to them in person. As you write, be specific about what the person did and try to keep it to 300 words. Let them know how you are doing now and how often you think about what they did. After you have finished, schedule a time to sit with them and read the letter to them. Notice their reactions and yours. After you have read the letter, take a little time to talk about its content. Seligman reports if you do this, you will be happier and less depressed in one month.[2]
[1] Emmons RA, McCullough ME. The Psychology of Gratitude. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2004.
[2] Seligman, Martin E. P.. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being (p. 30). Atria Books. Kindle Edition.