An attitude of gratitude

Gratitude is an attitude we adopt

Guest Columnist

Father Rusty Paul Bruce

I knew when I was asked to write this article on gratitude that I wanted to do something different. I did not want to make this into another mere academic exercise. I wanted this to be a reflection that leads us closer to God. Putting aside my inclination to go straight to the comfort of my theological books, I decided instead to ask the input of those I have the joy of seeing often, my daily Mass congregation.

Many of them were eager to share with me after Mass their own thoughts on gratitude. Three individuals surprised me in that they took the extra time after our conversations to text or email me further thoughts and reflections on how they understand this concept. What follows is the majority of their shared thoughts. From them, we can learn three important lessons on gratitude: Gratitude is best lived when we recognize that God will always provide for our needs; gratitude is an attitude that we can choose to live, which can change the way we experience life; and we do not need to look far to find things for which we can choose to be grateful.

God Will Always Provide What We Need

One parishioner texted me that while she was reflecting on our morning discussion, she met someone in the grocery store who told her “God will always provide.” As she reflected on that statement further, she was reminded about the many different ways in which God has provided for her in life. This attribute of God as provider brought her to have a deep sense of gratitude for provisions, like direction, grace and mercy, that he has given her. She acknowledged that she is grateful for the continual blessings that she receives which often come in the form of what she needs when she needs it, rather than reserving gratitude for being thankful only for things received for which she asks specifically.

She also shared that living in a spirit of gratitude for what God has provided for her has helped her to move from being a victim to a victor. That is a powerful statement! She is absolutely correct. Bad things happen to everyone, things that we cannot always control. We can either allow ourselves to be the victims of these circumstances, which often leave us closed off to what God wants to do for us, or we can acknowledge the situation and choose to rise above it, allowing God to bring about the good that he desires for us.

Faith tells us that God can make straight a crooked line, as Romans says, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (8:28). God desires our ultimate good, which is our salvation, that comes through persevering in and with God’s grace through trial and tribulation. At the end of the day, gratitude is an adopted attitude that can change how we view occurrences in life. With this in mind, I would like to turn to our second contributor who further adds to this idea.

Gratitude is an Attitude that Keeps us Focused

My second parishioner sent me a compelling email pointing out the importance of recognizing the value of choosing to live in a spirit or attitude of gratitude. She wrote that, “Gratitude is an energy, a mindset, a way of thinking, that when practiced gives focus and centers us on the right things, the important things, the things that God wants us to value and hold dear.” She goes on to write that it was learning to choose to live in the spirit of gratitude that got her through the dark and challenging times of her life, as well as the times of great celebration.

When she began to focus her energy on what she was grateful for, it caused her heart and mind to be lifted as she started to see the many things that she might not have noticed otherwise if she were only focused on what she did not have. In her writing, she acknowledged that she knows that God desires what is best for her and that focusing on gratitude helps her to see his hand in all aspects of her life.

This brings her peace knowing that God is in control and will not steer her wrong. The more she practices living in the spirit of gratitude, the more natural it becomes for her. She believes this is where God desires us to stay. We do not need to look far to find things for which to be grateful. a

Giving Thanks for the Simple Things in Life

My last parishioner brings us home as he cautions us to not only think of gratitude as the big or special things that we receive throughout our lives, like the big promotion that we waited for; the ability to afford the new fancy car, or finally taking that dream vacation we always wanted to take. Rather, gratitude for him is being able to give thanks for those big things as well as for the simple things in life such as the opportunity to know, love, and serve God another day; for the early morning sunrises that leave us admiring the work of our creator, or for the life-giving oxygen that we find in the fresh breeze blowing in our faces. He goes on to say that it is the everyday things that God sends our way that we should not take for granted nor forget. Just because we are around everyday things all the time does not mean that we have to become so familiar with them that we lose appreciation for them.

Now is the perfect time to consider how large a part gratitude plays in our daily lives. With the upcoming holiday season, we are called to be intentional about that for which we are grateful. In this spirit of gratitude, let us recall not only those things in life that are extraordinarily pleasing to us, but also remember to give thanks for the ordinary or simple things that help us to more easily choose to live in the spirit of gratitude. This holiday season, we can choose to remember that God has always provided for us and will always provide for our every need.

We should also remember that some of these provisions are crosses that bring us closer to Him. We may not want them, but we need them. We can choose to give thanks to God for the grace to be able to carry our crosses and for the growth that we experience in picking up those crosses daily. Our struggles can then truly become our victories.

A trending practice on social media for the month of November has become what is known as The Gratitude Challenge. This challenge asks us to reflect on and publicly identify, each day of the month, one thing for which we are grateful. This is a beautiful way to practice adopting the attitude of gratitude. In doing so, let us not forget to add to that list the simple things in life, the ways in which God provides for us every day, and yes, even giving thanks for our crosses that are meant to bring us closer to God. (Father Rusty Paul Bruce is the administrator of St. Hilary of Poitiers Church parish in Mathews and the Community of St. Anthony in Gheens.) BC

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