Beryl's Blog: Gratitude

Gratitude begins deep within the heart.

It flows outward and it touches all aspects of our days and our living.

As Christians, we are encouraged to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness, regardless of life circumstances.

It is not unreasonable to believe that thankfulness and gratitude are good for the human soul and our ability to get along with others; in fact, I would go so far as to suggest that gratitude promotes good manners, makes it easier to sustain old relationships while building new ones, improves our physical and psychological health and, perhaps, might even help you sleep better.

Gratitude should permeate every aspect of our lives.  In fact, many people keep gratitude journals and, at the end of each day, write one thing they are thankful for.  At the end of 365 days, they are amazed to see how many awesome times they were filled with gratitude.

If you are out of the habit of living with gratitude, perhaps it is time to get back into spiritual shape. Every morning, as soon as the alarm goes off, make a habit of thanking Creator God for a new day and asking for guidance as you face the challenges in the hours ahead.

Diana Butler Bass (an American historian of Christianity and a leading voice in progressive Christianity) states “Gratitude is the capacity to stare doubt, loss, chaos and despair right in the eye and say “I am still here”.

Creator wants each of us to reach the potential we were designed for, to live full, happy and productive lives. Gratitude can be a stepping stone to walking that journey.

As the writer of Psalm 118: 24 said “This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I say, Amen.

Beryl