Gratitude Changes Us

Most people would agree that gratitude is good. We teach kids to say “thank you.”

We share our thankfulness through cards or letters when the opportunity arises. We may craft a social media post. We spend a day each year celebrating Thanksgiving. But the Christian faith invites us into a deeper gratitude that goes beyond the merely conventional. 

Last Sunday  I shared a quote by the Christian spiritual writer Joan Chittister that reminds us how important gratitude is in the Christian faith:

Gratitude is not only the posture of praise but it is also the basic element of real belief in God. When we bow our heads in gratitude, we acknowledge that the works of God are good. We recognize that we cannot, of ourselves, save ourselves. We proclaim that our existence and all its goods come not from our own devices but are part of the works of God. Gratitude is the alleluia to existence, the praise that thunders through the universe as tribute to the ongoing presence of God with us even now.

These words can be helpful when it seems there is nothing to be grateful for, or when our minds are overwhelmed by all of the bad things happening throughout the world. Gratitude does not allow us to avoid addressing hard things, nor is it an excuse to not work for blessing, justice, and peace. Rather, gratitude is one way we stay connected to God and remember God’s love in the changing situations of our lives. When we keep at it, gratitude changes us. Our gratitude grows stronger and more accessible, even in hard times. 

Sometimes we feel very grateful. Other times we don’t. But practicing thanksgiving is one important way to remember that “the LORD is good, his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). 

May you have a happy Thanksgiving.

Pastor Justin