Salvation comes in many moments. One of those saving moments for me was when Brene Brown said these words,
"It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy."
I thought when you felt "joyful" then you would feel "grateful". But it doesn't work that way. And never has.
And that gratitude wasn't just going to magically show up in our lives.
I spend a lot of time complaining about people. People that take to long at the grocery store, complain about having to do yard work, complain, complain, complain. And it is of no surprise that complaining doesn't make me feel joyful.
Gratitude is expressing appreciation at every moment. Even when it is hard to see something good.
Gratitude is saying that goodness is always near. God is here.
Or maybe if we are complaining about someone it is remembering they have a story and that God is doing something good in their lives even if we can't see it.
This isn't easy stuff and I think it is why many of us rather complain a lot. It is easy.
Just like getting healthier doesn't come without practice so it goes with gratitude.
It is something we have to practice. Daily. And we do it for the sake that we might be joyful.
Ideas that I stole from another website that is helpful in practicing gratitude.
1. Carry a gratitude journal
2. Spend time daily give thanks through meditating and praying
3. Cultivate a practice to share what you are grateful for at the table.
4. Write regular thank you notes.
And maybe we will discover that thing that will save us... isn't another thing... but just the mere practice of being grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving!