UPWARD DISCIPLINE
GRATITUDE
DESIRE
to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to live with a grateful heart, cognizant of God’s work in my life and my abundant resources
DEFINITION
Gratitude is a loving and thankful response toward God for his presence with us and within this world. Though “blessings” can move us into gratitude, it is not at the root of a thankful heart. Delight in God and his good will is the heartbeat of thankfulness.
SCRIPTURE
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD of lords:
His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136: 1-2)
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4: 6)
PRACTICE INCLUDES
- prayers and songs that focus on God’s generosity to us
- gratefully giving and sharing all I am and have as a sign of your thankfulness to God
- expressing gratitude to others; the habit of saying “thank
you,” “I am so grateful,” “you are so kind” and so forth
- gratefully noticing God’s presence and gifts throughout the day
- practicing an abundance mentality; counting the blessings of life
- keeping a gratitude journal of the myriad gifts God has brought you
GOD-GIVEN FRUIT
- keeping company with Jesus no matter what happens
- being aware of the abundance of gifts, benefits, mercies and grace that have been poured into your life
- curbing critical tendencies by upstaging them with thanksgiving
- seeing what you have as quickly as you see what you don’t have
- treasuring and valuing people by thanking them often and clearly for who they are to you or to someone else
- daily thanking the Lord for his presence in your life
- noticing your lack of gratitude and repenting of the idol that has your heart at that moment
receiving everything you have as a gift rather than as an entitlement
Spiritual Disciplines / Adele Ahlberg Calhoun