4 Ways to Live Out Gratitude
What is gratitude and why practice it?
There are HUGE benefits of practicing gratitude!
Gratitude has a two-fold definition, according to Robert Emmons, a leading scientist on gratitude. First, it is an affirmation of goodness. Second, it’s a recognition that the source of goodness is outside of ourselves. In other words, we have to first acknowledge our blessings. Then we have to acknowledge that God is the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17). Robert Emmons appears to be onto something here.
Benefits of Practicing Gratitude
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thessalonians 5:18
God’s will for us is to be thankful, specifying “in all circumstances” just in case there was confusion. That means we are to have an attitude of gratitude when things are going well and when things are going bad. This is God’s best for us. The Bible is very clear that He has good plans for us. When He gives the directive to be thankful in all circumstances, you can bet that there is blessing to follow. Dr. Robert Emmons of University of California-Davis explains that cultivating gratitude has been shown to increase happiness by a whopping 25%.
“Gratitude blocks toxic emotions such as envy, resentment, regret and depression, which can destroy our happiness. It’s impossible to feel envious and grateful at the same time.” -Robert Emmons
4 Ways to Practice Gratitude and Reap the Benefits!
Make a habit of remembering.
It’s in our nature to remember the bad stuff that happens, however when we make it a habit to remember our blessings it cultivates an attitude of gratitude. Meditate on your blessings.
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. ~Psalm 77:11
Tell others about your blessings.
Declaring God’s blessings to you affects the people who hear it. It encourages people in the faith. It literally gives praise to God glorifying His name.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. ~Psalm 105:2
Keep a gratitude journal.
Carving out time to document the blessings in your life is a purposeful way of cultivating an attitude of gratitude. As time passes we can easily forget the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. When we’ve written it down in a journal it’s easy to look back during times when we need encouragement. We can review how God’s hand has moved in our lives when we’re having a difficulty feeling His presence.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits… ~Psalm 103:2
Pray for a grateful heart.
Ask to be more aware of your blessings. Pray God would open up your eyes to the blessings that surround you. When we come to God and pray for His will to be done, we have confidence that he will give us what we ask. according to.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. ~1John 5:14-15
Encouragement
Encouragement as you begin to cultivate a heart of gratitude. Developing new patterns doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient. Be prayerful. Trust that God wants this for you even more than you want it for yourself.
This is exactly what I have been praying for! Life sometimes just pushed you down and issues around you make you feel small and unimportant, which is not what God wants for us!
He says I am wanted I am important!
Absolutely! Thank you for sharing, Julie:)
Julie, I am so with you on this one. I have been looking for something like this for a while but did not even know where to start but this article is right on point, and above all is Godly too.
Hopefully, I will start this week.
Thank you for sharing this! Gratitude is definitely something I want to be intentional about. I first seen this pinned on Pinterest but forgot to pin it 😩 so thank God for google! Kolb 🙌🏽 Because I was able to search gratitude and your name to find this post 🤗
**reposting due to last post having errors** Thank you for sharing this Sunshyne! Gratitude is definitely something I want to be intentional about. I first seen this pinned on your Pinterest but forgot to pin it 😩 so thank God for google! 🙌🏽 Because I was able to search gratitude and your name to find this post 🤗
Hi Shakiya! Thank you for taking the time to search for the article! Gratitude is definitely something I have to be intentional about…it does not come naturally for me!😊 My resource library has gratitude prompts when you sign up. Thanks again Shakiya!
[…] Bible tells us to practice gratitude because in all His love, God knows what’s best for His children, long before research […]
[…] that here). Research backs up the practice of gratitude, saying it increases our happiness by 25% (more on that here). Again, choosing to find the good can powerfully change your […]
[…] are so many ways to cultivate gratitude in our lives. First, we can journal about the things we are grateful for. There is something […]
Great ideas for gratitude journaling! I am challenging myself to daily gratitude this Lent. https://amommaandherflock.com/cultivating-an-attitude-of-gratitude/
What a great challenge, Margaux! You will reap the blessings for sure!
[…] Gratitude Journal Prompts […]
I am a Muslim and I love these prompts! These are very similar to how we Muslims also practice gratitude. Our holy book consistently reminds us to be grateful for God and to practice gratitude mindfully by remembering our blessings and pondering over the creations. Definitely using this!
Thank you encouraging for my own self and sharing on my own blog these words are amazing. You are such a beautiful person.
This is just the boost I’ve been needing.🙌🌹
Thank you Sunshyne
I read this post at the beginning of the year!
Didn’t respond, but the Lord kept bringing it back to my mind!!!
I went back to your e-mail & requested the 5 day study today.
Your always a huge blessing to me. I’m so thankful for you😉😘
Hi Cheryl! It blesses me to know that the content on this site is a blessing and encouragement!
Thanks for sharing this guide. I will surely follow these tips.
Thanks for stopping by Rahul!