Being grateful for things God gives to our lives helps us walk in purpose and joy.‍

Gratitude itself is a gift from God, a gift where honoring Him and our many blessings elevates our own spirits and lives. The theologian Brother David Steindl-Rast is quoted saying, “It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”

The Webster-Merrin definition of gratitude is: a feeling of appreciation or thanks.  Gratitude is something we feel. The Word encourages us to drum up these feelings of gratitude in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

‍How can we become more grateful in our lives?

‍Being grateful is God’s will for our lives. Expressing and releasing our deepest feelings of gratitude is a skill that we can expand and develop. Sometimes we are just scratching the surface of gratitude instead of using it to its full potential for our lives and for the kingdom. 

We can seek opportunities to express our gratitude to the Lord through everyday activities like worshiping, giving, praying, meditating on our blessings, and honoring those we are grateful for. And even just choosing to be joyful in the middle of whatever we are going through.

Sometimes our posture can say much about how we are feeling but if we need to give ourselves a little push into that we can try assuming some postures commonly associated with that specific feeling. Postures often associated with gratitude in various cultures are bowing, prayer hands, kneeling, and arms up and outstretched.

Actively implementing gratitude in our lives aligns our focus with the things that are, true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable as we chase after God’s heart in thanksgiving. After all, our purest gratitude comes from knowing who God is and receiving his grace and his love.

How are you living with gratitude in this season of your life?