Grateful Living
Excerpt of article sourced from Christian Leadership Alliance, Posted Oct 8, 2021
At a very young age, my parents constantly urged me to always say thank you in response to any kindness or friendly words shared in my direction. In my mid-teen years, I was mature enough to observe the heartfelt sincerity my parents always showed when they said thank you to others, offered prayers of thanks, or expressed appreciation for the simple blessings in their lives. My parents were wonderful role models and teachers in many ways and helping me learn to be grateful was an amazing gift that I work at demonstrating every day. My wife and I try very hard to model a life of gratefulness for our sons and those we encounter each day, and this ongoing effort has absolutely transformed us.
What Are Some of the Fruits of Gratitude?
Gratitude Best Practices
To read the full article go to Christian Leadership Alliance.
At a very young age, my parents constantly urged me to always say thank you in response to any kindness or friendly words shared in my direction. In my mid-teen years, I was mature enough to observe the heartfelt sincerity my parents always showed when they said thank you to others, offered prayers of thanks, or expressed appreciation for the simple blessings in their lives. My parents were wonderful role models and teachers in many ways and helping me learn to be grateful was an amazing gift that I work at demonstrating every day. My wife and I try very hard to model a life of gratefulness for our sons and those we encounter each day, and this ongoing effort has absolutely transformed us.
What Are Some of the Fruits of Gratitude?
- We desire less when we are truly grateful for what we already have in our lives.
- Gratitude requires a positive frame of mind, which contributes to greater overall happiness. Happiness cannot exist without gratitude.
- Consistently practicing gratitude with others results in a ripple effect; those experiencing our gratitude pay it forward to the people they encounter.
- Gratitude is a healthy substitute for resentment, envy, jealousy, and greed.
Gratitude Best Practices
- Learn to be grateful for your challenges, not just your blessings. Look at adversity as a source of helpful lessons rather than frustrating burdens to carry.
- Express gratitude at every opportunity. “I am grateful . . .” “I appreciate . . .” and a simple “Thank you” can never be overused and should be shared throughout the day when an appropriate opportunity arises.
- Make it memorable. Send a handwritten note of gratitude whenever possible.
- Be intentional. Place a reminder on the calendar to express gratitude for the people and blessings you have experienced during the week.
- Be grateful for EVERYTHING. “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously.
- Always give thanks to God. Be grateful to God for the gift of your life, for air in your lungs, the shining sun on your face, and for all Creation. Share this gratitude in prayer throughout the day. “God’s generous presence in our lives lays claim to a form of gratitude that is never satisfied by the mere recitation of thanks, but requires us to express our gratitude in action. The kind of gratitude that God is hoping to find includes a bond of friendship and a commitment to service” (Donald DeMarco, The Many Faces of Virtue).
To read the full article go to Christian Leadership Alliance.
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