An attitude of gratitude

Irecently came across a study by Lifeway Research analyzing the top 10 things Americans are thankful for. Not surprisingly, family was at the top of the list with 84% saying they are grateful for theirs. Health was number two. Two things tied for third on the list: friends and memories; 63% of Americans said they are thankful for them. Perhaps most shocking to me was learning that money barely made the list at all, coming in 10th.

Paul wrote this to the church in Philippi, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand…” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)

The famous Apostle encouraged believers to pray rather than worry and to thank God for his blessings. What caught my attention next is how he said after we thank God for what he has done, we will experience God’s peace. This is interesting since being thankful is not usually something we associate with peace. According to Paul, our gratitude profoundly affects our attitude.

In a sermon I read on thankfulness, Pastor Rick Adams illustrated its importance this way:

• I can complain because the weather is rainy or … be thankful the grass is getting watered for free.

• I can grumble about my health or … rejoice that I am alive.

• I can cry because roses have thorns or … celebrate that thorns have roses.

Perhaps you have heard of one of the world’s most unusual fruits, sometimes called the taste berry. This African delicacy was given its name because, after eating it, a person’s taste buds are temporarily altered, and any food tastes sweet. Even sour fruit, eaten hours after enjoying one of these berries, is delicious and sweet.

Expressing our gratitude to God for his blessings is a lot like eating a “taste berry.” Being thankful helps us appreciate the good things in our lives and creates a sweet attitude in our hearts, which in turn helps us respond sweetly to life’s inevitable sour moments.

How can we be more grateful this Thanksgiving? Allow me to suggest that each of us do what popular psychologist and author Dr. Martin Seligman has suggested: take a moment during your day and write down three things for which you are grateful. If you do this, you will not merely express thankfulness to God for your blessings, you will also experience greater peace. What’s more, this simple exercise can have a profound effect on how you celebrate Thanksgiving.