Practicing GratitudeSample

Gratitude is a spiritual practice of seeing and celebrating the good in the world around you. This is easier said than done. 

Modern life often forces you to focus on what is bad – what needs to be fixed immediately, what crisis must be prevented, what new thing you need now to make your life better. 

Learning to notice the good takes practice. Thankfully, every time you flex your gratitude muscle you get stronger. You get positive feedback – it feels good to be grateful. And you connect with God who is the source of all goodness.

You don’t need to look for big miraculous things to be grateful for. Jesus showed that gratitude can begin with very little. On a day when it seemed like he and his friends wouldn’t have enough to eat, Jesus looked up to heaven and thanked God for the food they had (Mark 6:37-44). When Jesus did this, the little they had turned into an abundance.

Start your gratitude practice by simply noticing what is good in the world around you. This goes back to the very first chapter of the Bible, when God “sees” what is good in his creation (Genesis 1:12). 

Practice: 

• What is good in the world around you right now? If the seat you’re sitting on is comfortable, thank God for that. 
• During your day, make it a point to notice one thing that’s good. If a coworker smiles at you, this can be a prompt to gratitude.
• Before you go to bed tonight, think back on your day. What was good today that you can thank God for? Make a list.

Prayer: God, thank you for the good you have put in my life today. Reveal yourself to me through your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Further Exploration: Read the article From an Attitude of Ingratitude to Gratitude .