Practicing Gratitude

How do You Practice Gratitude?

One of this week's readings was about the 10 lepers that Jesus healed, and only one returned to give him thanks. The bible specifically mentions the man was a Samaritan. During that time, Samaritans were thought of as lesser, dirty, savage and unruly people. They were foreigners who were looked down upon by the rest of the population. Yet, the Samaritan was the only one who didn't take the miracle Jesus performed on him for granted. He came back and thanked him, showing he was the only one with real manners.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we are called to think about gratitude.

What does it mean?

The Webster dictionary says gratitude is defined as:

So, the next logical question is: How do we reach a "state of being thankful"?

The answer is both extremely simple and difficult to remember. In all things God does for us, all those tiny little blessings and graces he gives us, we need to acknowledge them. By doing so, we begin to open our eyes to just how active and present God is in our lives. Once we have done that, then we can give our thanks to Him. As our eyes are opened, it will also lead to praising Him for His greatness and involvement in our lives.

How Do We Acknowledge Our Blessings?

The easiest way, yet hardest to remember is by immediately giving thanks as soon as you recognize He's blessed you or given you a grace. But to get into the habit of seeing and recognizing all of His little blessings through out the day is to write them down. You can do a daily examination of conscience, writing down your blessings every night before bed. Another way, is to keep a small pocket journal with you and quickly jot them down during the day, as you go. You'll soon realize you are filling that journal up quickly.

Benefits of a Gratitude Journal

By writing down your blessings, you will both physically and mentally acknowledge God's grace in your life. As you write, pray to God, thanking him for all he does for you. Too many times we become absorbed into our daily lives, hurts, and fears. When you focus instead on the boons you are given, you pull yourself out of your own selfish misery, and begin the process of finding happiness in your life. When you write down your graces, you can also go back and look through your journal. You can see how one blessing stacks on another. You can also see just how far God has brought you on your journey.

Another Way to Practice Gratitude

Another way to practice gratitude is to "Pay it Forward". As God has helped and aided you, follow his example of love. Help and aid others in the same way. This can be as simple as sharing what you have learned of your blessings to someone else. It could be participating in charitable causes based on the unique perspective you have because He has given you a blessing. For example,

if you were blessed with healing from breast cancer, you could participate in breast cancer fundraising to help others heal as you have. If you were blessed with being able to afford a new home when you thought you would never be able to, you could join Habitat for Humanity to help others achieve the same goal. If you have been blessed with an abundance of food, give some to the local food bank. Yes, some of these would be major blessings, but you can do the same with the small everyday ones too. You could make an extra cookie when you bake, to give to someone else. You could pray for someone who is sick (or visit them), since you have good health.

“The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that he, in his goodness, sends to us day after day.”                             — St. Gianna Molla 

References

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Gratitude. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 16, 2024, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratitude