Gratitude
It is that time of year that we are reminded to be thankful, even though that should be our attitude all year long.
Philippians 1:3 says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God” (NLT).
Paul is writing to his friends in Phillipi to let them know how much they mean to him.
Is there something or someone that you are thankful for every time you think of it.
For most of us, we have to work on being grateful.
It is easy to focus on what is going wrong in life and overlook all the blessings….which usually out number what is going wrong.
What are you grateful for
Are you grateful for in your relationships?
Are you grateful for your health?
Are you grateful for your job?
Are you grateful for your house and the food on your table?
Do you ever include your difficulties and obstacles as reasons for gratitude?
In her biography The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom shares her story about being in a Concentration Camp. In this amazing story, Corrie ten Boom, is a heroine of the Dutch Resistance who helped countless Jews escape from the Nazis. Corrie is referred to as one of the most remarkable evangelists of the 20th century.
Corrie’s underground operation was discovered and she was placed in the horrible Nazis prison system where she ended up in the same prison with her sister. Corries was able to smuggle pieces of her bible and keep it safe from the guards so that she could share Christ with her fellow prisoners.
Corrie and her sister shared an overcrowded bunk room that was crawling with fleas. Corrie’s sister kept reminding her that they were to give God thanks for everything. Thankful that they were together, thankful for the prison guards and thankful for the fleas.
Corrie questioned how they could be grateful for fleas? But she thanked God for them anyway.
Later on in the book, we find out that the prison guards were fearful of the fleas so they never entered the room. This allowed Corrie and her sister to read from the Bible and pray with the other prisoners each evening after their work was done. So many women found God in the dirty, grungy, flea infested bunk room.
The fleas allowed the work of God to be done.
We all have an area like the fleas in our lives. An area that is difficult and we can’t figure out why or what we thankGod for in the situation.
What are the “fleas” in your life?
What is an area in your life that causes you pain and suffering?
When you think about giving thanks to God, you can’t come up with one reason to be thankful, except that we are called to give thanks in all circumstances. Maybe it is a broken relationship or a lost job. Maybe it is a medical diagnosis and uncertain financial future.
We read in Thesolonians
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you.
What if you were grateful for this situation?
How could your life change?
Gratitude will open you up to see the blessings in the situation. Just give it a try...you may not understand or even believe it, but you will open up a door so that God can reveal his goodness in your life.
Spend some time in prayer thanking God for what you are facing. Thank him for the good, the bad and the difficult. Even when you aren’t sure why or how to be thankful...tell God. Tell him you want to be thankful but aren’t sure how. Ask him to reveal to you the lessons or messages he wants you to learn.
According to Dr. Robert Emmons, the feeling of gratitude involves two stages (2003):
1. First comes the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that all in all, life is good, and has elements that make it worth living, and rich in blessings. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it.
2. Second, gratitude is recognizing that some of the sources of this goodness lie outside the self. One can be grateful to other people, to animals, to the world but not to oneself. At this stage, we recognize the goodness in our lives and who to thank for it.
As Catholics we know that the source of all goodness in our lives comes from God.
Whatever you focus on your mind you will find evidence for it. When you focus on what is lacking, your brain finds evidence for all that is missing in your life. It will operate from a place of loss and unhappiness. You focus on the void and tell yourself if you only had that “thing” then your life would be full or you’d be happy. You find yourself searching, but often don’t know what you are searching for.
When you turn your focus on the abundance and see all the blessings in your life then you are open to recognizing all that God has given you. You create stronger relationships because you show appreciation. You understand and acknowledge all that is good in your life.
Gratitude is a turning of the mind to what you already have rather than focusing the mind on what is lacking or missing.
Gratitude affirms that there are good things in your life. It doesn’t mean that life is perfect, just that you recognize the good. Gratitude doesn’t overlook that there are struggles or adversity. Gratitude allows you to take a step back and look at the big picture. You are able to recognize where the good stuff ultimately comes from and that is God.
Gratitude is more than being thankful. A grateful person recognizes all that life has to offer, like Corrie and her sister. They recognized that even in pain and sorrow in the midst of fleas that there can be great blessings. Gratitude opens you up and allows you to experience all that God has created in your life. Grateful people tend to be happier, more compassionate, more forgiving and they seek the good in the world. Grateful people also spread more joy into the world with their words and actions. So...you could say that gratitude is contagious.
The foundation of gratitude are the thoughts that create it. Being aware, recognizing and acknowledging what others do for you.
Researchers have discovered many benefits of gratitude. Here are a few...
Satisfaction Those who express gratitude have more appreciation for their life and are more content.
Stronger relationships (gratitude creates a cycle of generosity between two people. )
Self motivation (gratitude encourages you to work harder and show up as your best self.
Generosity: gratitude gives you a generous heart and allows to you share your blessings
Gratitude is also known to help you Sleep better and
reduces stress
So, what are you grateful for?
Could you make an effort to be more grateful?
Do you need to focus on the blessings rather than the things that are going wrong?
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Challenge: What are the “fleas” in your life? What is one area that you need to be grateful for even though it is hard to find anything to appreciate? Practice being grateful for it and see how God reveals his blessings in that area of your life. When we are grateful we are thinking about the many blessings we are surrounded by in the moment.
Let’s pray…..
Dear Lord, thank you for the many gifts that we have. Thank you for the gifts that we recognize, but more importantly the ones that go unnoticed. Lord, open our eyes to see the abundant life that you have given us. With a grateful heart allow us to act in generosity to share your love and compassion with someone else who is in need of encouragement and hope. Amen
