#NeighborHood: Making the Good News Personal
Practice 3: Cultivating Gratitude - The Heart of the Christian Life
“Ohio River” by Rev. Kristen Yates
“Gratitude is more than a mental exercise, more than a formula of words. We cannot be satisfied to make a mental note of things which God has done for us and then perfunctorily thank Him for favors received. To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us—and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is grace, for it brings with us immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder, and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference… Gratitude is therefore the heart of the Christian life.”
When The Good News Becomes Abstract or Impersonal
In this week’s worship service, Charles Dudley and Jake Wenstrup both spoke about the privilege it is to share the Good News of Jesus - to point others to the One who provides access to beautiful, abundant, and eternal life; the One who prepares a room especially for us (John 14:2). In His great hospitality and love, God is inviting all people to come home to Him, and we have the great opportunity to share this invitation.
Unfortunately, we so often fail to do that. Why is that, we might ask. Well, I think there are numerous reasons we are reticent, but I think one of the big reasons we are slow to share with others is because we have forgotten the Good News for ourselves. Bogged down with the brokenness of the world and our lives, we forget what it was like for us personally when we first heard the Good New, and we forget to reflect on how that News has continued to impact us. Additionally, we forget all the little pieces of good news that are scattered throughout our days, that are there simply because God loves us and desires to bless us.
Now, it is true that the world is broken, and there may be days, months, and years where life is more difficult, but if we look hard enough, we can always find the gifts from God, big and little, that are scattered throughout our days. Thus, God invites us to regularly take notice of these things and to give Him thanks. When we do so, our attitude towards life, others, and God will be transformed. And then when we go out and share the Good News of Jesus with others, it is not a rote, impersonal task or obligation, but a deeply personal, meaningful, and life-giving one that builds bridges between us, God, and the people with whom we share.
Making the Good News Personal
To make the Good News in our lives real again, we can do two things:
First, we can remember how God has been active in our lives and how salvation is not just an abstract theological concept, but a reality that has and continues to impact our lives. We can do this by writing a spiritual autobiography.
Second, we can daily practice gratitude, taking note of all the big and little ways that God has blessed us.
While both practices are very helpful, this week, I would like us to focus on the second practice - a daily practice of gratitude.
The Practice of Gratitude
So now, we’ll have a chance to practice gratitude. And when I say practice, I truly mean practice. It is one thing to give thanks from time to time when the mood hits us. It is another thing altogether to intentionally and regularly remember the blessings and gifts in our lives and to give thanks to God for them. So below, I’ll provide some ways for you to practice gratitude this week, but to inspire you in your practice, first check out this short movie.
Practicing Gratitude
1). Keep a Gratitude Journal: Each day, take some time to pause and reflect upon all the things for which you are grateful. Write them down in your journal. Spend time in prayer, thanking God.
2) Keep a Photo/Art Journal: Each day, take photos, draw, or do something creative to remember all for which you are grateful. Use this creative time to converse with God, giving him thanks for all He has given you.
3) Give Daily Thanks With Your Family: At dinner time each night, reflect together upon the things on which each of you are grateful. Close your time with praise and thanksgiving.