With the Thanksgiving season at hand, the idea of gratitude should be on everyone’s minds. Yet, despite the fact that we are celebrating a day of gratitude, we seem strangely out of touch with the meaning and importance of gratitude. For most of us, we have a vague understanding of the term, but perhaps not a firm grasp on how and why we should practice this staple virtue. In an article entitled ‘Why we Should Be Thankful for the Gift of Gratitude’, Joe Carter explores the essential nature of this attribute, as well as helpful suggestions for how to grow in it.
Although there are hundreds upon hundreds of reasons that gratitude is necessary to our lives, there are three which stand out. The first, and greatest, of these is that God requires thanksgiving of us. According to Carter:
The most important reason we express gratitude is because God requires we offer him our thanks. In Psalm 50:22, God says, “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me.” God takes our gratitude—or lack thereof—extremely seriously. We are always required to give God what he is due—including our thankfulness.
Second, gratitude fosters selflessness, taking our attention off of ourselves and putting it onto God.
When we develop a habit of gratitude we are constantly asking two questions: “For what should I be grateful?” and “To whom do I owe thanks?” The more we express our gratitude the more our eyes are opened to the magnanimity of God and his generosity in bestowing us with goodness and blessings. When we see how much we owe to God it helps to reduce our own self-centeredness.
Lastly, expressing gratitude develops spiritual endurance, deepening our trust in God.
As we grow in gratitude, we learn to be thankful not only for the good gifts God gives us but for everything in our life, including trials and sufferings. We learn that even in grief and pain we can be grateful since we still have the greatest gift we could ever want: God himself. This type of gratitude helps us to deepen our trust in the goodness of God and helps us to be humble in whatever circumstance we may be called upon to endure.
Given that gratitude is a necessary skill to develop, Carter delves into three of the best practices to foster this virtue and strengthen ourselves in it. First, he gives a simple weekly exercise which causes us to prioritize counting our blessings:
Make a list every week of five to ten blessings you’ve noticed in your life, numbering each item and listing them only once. Review your list and say a prayer of thanksgiving for each item.
The second exercise he recommends is saying grace before every single meal.
Throughout history, Christians have made a habit of “saying grace,” a short prayer recited before a meal to give thanks for our food. While we should continue that discipline (or take it up anew) we should expand the range of when we “say grace.”…Develop a habit of stopping and saying grace before your daily activities.
Finally, he encourages us to practice saying thanks for the people in our lives by contacting them, making sure that they know we are grateful for them.
Make a habit of contacting someone each week—in person, by phone, or through email or social media—and let them know that you are grateful they are in your life.
Despite all the talk and activities surrounding Thanksgiving, many people don't fully realize how crucial a grateful mindset is. Once we commit to being grateful for everything, everyday of our lives, we become less selfish and look beyond ourselves to the needs of others. Furthermore, through thanking God, we not only obey His commands, but we also deepen our relationship with Him. With this in mind, Thanksgiving becomes a much more meaningful holiday, and gratitude becomes a source of joy for us throughout our entire lives.
