Gratitude

Giving thanks is another of those central tenants of the faith. We are to offer up our thanks to God regularly. And it is good for us to remember to be disciplined in our faith and to practice the art of thanksgiving.

Besides, there is scientific research that shows that a person who practices gratitude can significantly increase well-being and life satisfaction. UC Davis psychologist Robert Emmons researched the practice of gratitude and concluded that when a person practices the discipline of gratitude they not only improve their sense of well-being in the short term, but that this improved sense continues over time.

So, how does one practice gratitude?

The obvious place to start is in our daily prayer. Many of us spend time in prayer interceding on another’s behalf, for peace in the world, for change in our own lives but forget to give thanks. If we start our prayer time giving thanks to God we begin from a place settled in the knowledge of God’s presence and care in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Another way to practice gratitude is to keep a journal. For many, writing lays down in a concrete way our ideas and thoughts that allow us to then be self-reflective. This process makes real for us the many ways God is present in our lives and gives value to what we already have.

If you have trouble doing things on your own, find a prayer or journal partner. Is there someone in our congregation or in your neighborhood that you see as a potential mentor or partner in crime? Practicing with someone else the art of giving thanks may help you both keep on track over the long term. If you cannot meet in person, share a daily phone call or email or text.

The reality is that God has indeed blessed God’s people with abundance. But the world constantly wants us to believe that we never have enough. The reality for most of us is that we have too much! How do we come back to what is real and what is the truth in our midst?

A good place to start is by practicing gratitude. You may come to realize the abundance of your life, appreciate what others have done or are doing around you, rediscover the joy of small pleasures and reconnect your life to the God of creation.

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. - Colossians 4:2