The Way of Gratitude (Week 1)
“GRATITUDE 101”
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, the readiness to be appreciative for and to return kindness.
Gratitude is birthed out of memory --> presence --> action
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NLT): "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
NUMBER ONE: Be Present
The act of being present is the foundation for gratitude. When we are fully here (present)—not lost in the anxieties of the future or the regrets of the past—we set the table for gratitude to manifest in our lives. Allowing us to appreciate the current moment as a gift from God.
The greatest mistake we will make is overlooking gratitude as both an action and a quality we should possess. We should be attentive to recall and articulate those moments from memory and present to which there is gratefulness in our life.
NUMBER TWO: Be Cautious
Caution: gratitude is not based on what I have that others don't, gratitude is based on what I have experienced and have… gratitude sits in the present, reflects, and is thankful.
Comparison is the death of gratitude in our life, not only toward our own self, but toward God.
NUMBER THREE: Trust Scripture
Pray - Colossians 4:2 (NLT): Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
Be Still - Psalms 62: 1, 5 (NLT): I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
Thankful for others - 1 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT): I always thank my God for you and - for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.
Express or thankfulness to God - Psalm 100:4–5 (NLT): Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Express our thankfulness to others - Romans 1:8-12 (NLT): Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to the God I serve... I long to see you so I can share with you some spiritual gift that will help you grow stronger. I want to encourage you, and I know that when we get together, I will be encouraged by your faith as well as you by mine.
Act on our gratitude - 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NLT): Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
NUMBER 4: - Benefits
Studies have shown that those who practice daily gratitude experience high levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy, as well as experience less depression, stress, anxiety, better physical health and Increased emotional resilience.
NUMBER 5: Act
Write notes or cards, text, or make calls to individuals expressing your thankfulness to them.
Journal and write about specific things you are grateful for that have happened in your life, or to those around you to which you have witnessed.
Give gifts to those who are in need.
Use your gifts and skills to bless others in time of need.
When something good happens—a great cup of coffee, a sunny day, a compliment—don't rush past it. Pause and intentionally savor the moment.
Start traditions or things that can be repeated as a memory and reference for who God is and what He does.
Gratefulness is like a hidden treasure, a profound blessing that resides within us when we acknowledge God’s existence, His actions, and the gifts He has bestowed upon us. By doing so, we become present with Christ. We nurture and bless not only our lives, but others lives as well through acts of encouragement and kindness.
