Merry Thank-You-Ary!

Kay Charlotte and I are creating a habit of gratitude in 2022.

So we are changing this month’s name from January to Thank-You-Ary!  

In All Circumstances… Really?

I have often read the Apostle Paul’s instruction to, “…give thanks in all circumstances…” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). And I have often glossed over it without putting it into practice. I like giving thanks, but in all circumstances? Is that possible?!  

Yet, Paul wrote this to people who were going through the wringer. The church in Thessalonica was struggling and suffering. Believers were being persecuted; it was a rough time. Paul told them to be grateful in their circumstances. I am beginning to think that this is on purpose; that thankfulness is somehow necessary for our well-being.

Okay, so we have not been persecuted. But there are real struggles. If our circumstances have any rhyme with the Thessalonians’, then maybe there’s something to this gratitude stuff. Maybe I need to take Paul’s instruction more seriously.

And So, Thank-You-Ary.  

Therefore, we’ve decided to be intentional about gratitude. Instead of occasionally being thankful when something nice happens, we want a habit of gratitude. We want it to be our go-to expression daily. Already, I’m realizing thankfulness is rooted in the fact that God is good and his love endures forever. (Ezra 3:11; Psalm 106:1; etc.). That’s the bottom line. God is good, period. His love endures forever, period. Do I really need more than that in order to express thanks? These are reasons enough to be grateful. 

Prayer + Thanksgiving = Peace

I recently studied Paul’s letter to the Philippians with a friend. As I think about gratitude, I’m reminded of Paul’s encouragement: 

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7 (Emphasis mine) (NLT)

I believe the Holy Spirit gave Paul insight into how we are made. He showed Paul the math that prayer and thanksgiving can change how we see our circumstances. 

The Science of Thanksgiving

Article after article about mental health and self care are in my news feeds. Recently I came across, “The Positive Impact of Gratitude on Mental Health”, by N. Khorrami in Psychology Today. It’s long been known there’s a positive correlation between gratitude and being satisfied with life. New studies are finding the neurological link between the two. The rest of the article describes the benefits of gratitude. Khorrami writes, 

“Gratitude minimizes negative habits, patterns of thinking, and feelings. When focusing on the positive, we focus less on negativity. The results are improved joy, satisfaction, more appreciation, kindness, generosity, empathy, and more positive expressions and behaviors. Gratitude, especially when expressed as a habit, helps minimize negative habits, patterns of thinking, and feelings, which often are the causes of depression, panic, and fear.”

The article lists several other significant benefits to being habitually grateful. Check it out! 

A Daily Practice of Morning and Evening Gratitude

So we’re turning gratitude into a habit. I start my days with a cup of coffee, the Bible (Bible in One Year), and a morning gratitude. I simply say to God out loud, “This morning I’m grateful for _________ .” I allow myself to be shallow. I can be thankful for coffee, for example. I allow myself to say only one thing, or to say as many things. They can be deep and meaningful, or simple and shallow. Then, in bed at the end of the day, I do the same. “Tonight I’m grateful for _________.” Same rules apply. 

What Are You Thankful For?

Join us in establishing thankfulness in your life too. We’d be grateful if you did, (see what I did there?), haha! If nothing else, click the button below right now and let us know what you’re grateful for.