[lead dropcap="yes"]Not long ago, a quadriplegic man in Louisville, Kentucky offered his testimony during a church service. He spoke of his pre-handicapped life which had been mired in sin, selfishness and a preoccupation with money.[/lead]Work, golf, fishing, gambling, drinking - I was never home. My wife was raising two small girls alone and she was going to leave me.” Going on, he described the challenges he has faced in the twenty years since breaking his neck in a roofing accident. Beyond the surgeries and the rehab, living in fear that his wife may forsake him and the emotional toll of living each day in a wheelchair, it was the smaller things he touched on. If his nose itched, he couldn’t scratch it. He would never again hug his daughters. Freedom, privacy, and intimacy all had very new definitions. In the end, however, his was a story of gratitude. His condition had given him a new perspective and had altered his priorities. He had become a family man and was introduced to a bible study group by a landscaper who was building a ramp for him to access his patio. In time, after giving his life to Christ, he and his wife had become leaders in his church. He realized that his condition could be used in a more persuasive and powerful way to transform the lives of others. In his words, “I wouldn’t change a thing. God saved my life the day I fell through that roof. I am so thankful.” What an incredible perspective. How easy might it have been for this man to go on the rest of his life with a bitter, resentful and angry spirit? Could we blame him for feeling sorry for himself? Asked by someone after the service how he is able to own a grateful perspective even on his toughest days, the man replied, “I’m obeying God.”

Gratitude is a choice - Are we whining or worshiping?

We’ve all heard the expression, ‘You can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you react.’ The brain is limited. It cannot easily focus on both positive and negative stimuli. We cannot worship when we whine, nor can we whine when worship. We have to make a choice. The bible tells us repeatedly to give thanks to the Lord.

"I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—" 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things" Psalm 107:8-9

When we choose gratitude, we are obeying God. That alone should suffice. We don’t need to be promised anything in return. Our faith tells us to be thankful in all things. But is it that easy? Can we be thankful when daily annoyances creep up? Can we show gratitude to God even in our toughest seasons?Most of us carry a consistent mindset. We can think of someone we know and say this person is a positive and grateful person or this person generally is a downer and doesn’t appreciate what they have. Most people are not both. Why? Because we normally either follow a chain of events in the form of a virtuous cycle or a vicious cycle. Gratitude is a skill and like any skill it takes practice to hone. So choose to exercise gratitude in any and all circumstances. When you’re paying bills, practice being grateful that you have the means. When you’re waiting seemingly forever for the elevator to get to your floor skip the grumbling and think about what God has done for you. Practice being grateful when you sit down to dinner. When you go to sleep. When you’re stuck in traffic. On the way into work. When you’re with your family. Like anything done regularly and on purpose with a purpose, choosing thankfulness will become a habit in our lives as we honor God’s commands.

Gratitude is a spirit

Eucharistian, the Greek word for ‘thanksgiving,’ is built on the word charis, meaning ‘grace.’ When we realize this close association, we understand that gratitude is more than simply saying ‘thank you,’ but it is a spirit that consumes the heart. It’s a psyche inside us. When we put our focus and our praise on God, when we are mindful of what we do have instead of what we don’t have, who we are instead of who we are not; when we carry this humble gratitude with us in our lives it becomes impossible to be chained down by the lies of the world. A thankful heart filled with God’s peace leaves little room for angst, depression, hopelessness, or anger. Being grateful to God means you never have to ask, “why me?” Gratitude guards us against animosity. It is a way that God softens the blows when difficulties arise.

"All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

The spirit of gratitude is our path to peace. In every situation, prayer, plus thanksgiving, equals peace.

Gratitude is an Action

The idea here is that we take this spirit of thanksgiving into our lives. If we truly invest in authentic gratitude, from a practical standpoint, we can change outlooks. Go ahead and try it out this week. It’s fun and it’s actually good for us. Science has proven that gratitude activates the neurotransmitter dopamine which controls our reward and pleasure centers. It literally feels good to give thanks. When scenarios arise in which the people you encounter are going all glass half-empty on you, flip the switch on them.As we celebrate the holiday with family, friends, food and laughs, let us remember this true cornerstone value of Christian life - thanksgiving. Our faith tells us that giving thanks to God for all of the gifts he has touched each of us with will activate purpose, peace, togetherness, wellness, clarity and truth. Thanksgiving is an action to be carried out. May we walk in response to God’s salvation, and boldly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the source of all of our blessings.

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