Grappling with Gratitude
Being grateful seems so common, so simple, so baseline to spirituality that it barely needs mentioning, except that…it does. Gratitude can easily slip away and be replaced by the temptation toward grumbling in its many forms of whining, judging, regretting, complaining, begrudging, resenting. It’s what the Israelites did in their wilderness journey when they complained to Moses and Aaron about their conditions. They wanted to turn back to Egypt, or to enter the Promised Land before it was time. And in the New Testament, we are reminded to be grateful over and over. Give thanks in all things…at all times… regardless of circumstances… with thanksgiving in your heart.
The only reason for the repeated reminders about being thankful is our repeated need to be reminded.
Gratitude isn’t something to add to a list of spiritual disciplines. It’s central to all disciplines. . It anchors who we are in relationship to God. We are “a grateful people.” Even the prayers of lament, (which may seem like a righteous way to get away with complaining) are, in fact, grounded in gratitude for God’s nearness and faithfulness throughout our lamentable lives.
To be honest, grumbling comes easy, especially when I’m in the work place. It seems to be a natural response for me that I often have to check and double check. I often pray for God to put a guard over my mouth and my lips, to not let me get sucked into the dark alley of complaining about a boss, or another co-worker. Gratitude takes fortitude to practice until it becomes the habit that forms my heart and becomes my natural first response. The prayer of examen, which begins with gratitude has been a consistent and meaningful practice in helping me to move away from grumbling and move into gratitude.
If you search the internet for “benefits of gratitude,” you’ll find hundreds of thousands of references, articles, scientific research that all confirm the benefits gratitude. Henri Nouwen writes, “To start seeing that the many events of our day, week or years are not in the way of our search for a full life, but rather the way to it, is a real experience of conversion.” Gratitude in the ordinary days, opens the door to that fuller, expanding life.
Today, at this moment, I’m grateful for the technology that allows me to tap out these words, to send them out into the world as a small thanksgiving offering to the faithfulness of God. I’m grateful for the morning birdsong I’m listening to right now, for the cool morning of summer where I live, for the earth abloom with the glory of violets, daisies, and hydrangea seen out my window. For the challenge of the work that lies before me today.
Lord, make us a grateful people.
For Spiritual Direction: What is your first response to difficult situations in your life? How might you incorporate gratitude as a regular discipline to practice throughout your day? What is your experience with knowing God? Do you recognize the faithfulness or God, or does it seem absent during this season? Despite the difficulties you may be facing, what the things in life that you remain grateful for today?
