Biblical gratitude is recognizing and expressing thanks for what Jesus is actively doing in us and through us - that by grace through faith, He’s given us His presence and His love and His life so that we might live out His Kingdom here on earth.
This is why Philippians 4:4-8 puts it like this, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” The passage then goes onto to say that through ongoing gratitude we push back against worry and experience deeper peace in Jesus. So no matter our circumstances, we’re called to think about the goodness of God and His gifts towards us daily. And this passage tells us something pretty important about gratitude: that it’s just as much a mental practice as it is anything else. It’s about intentionally directing your attention to recognize God’s presence and activity in your life, even if on the surface there doesn’t seem to be anything to celebrate.
So to practice biblical gratitude, we want to encourage you with a few ways to cultivate this practice:
1 - List out daily what you’re thankful for
First set aside a time and a place each day and take a few minutes listing out what you’re thankful to Jesus for. So maybe you have a gratitude journal by your nightstand so that either when you wake up or before you go to bed, you can spend some time listing out those things. Or you can download the One-Second app on your phone, and make an ongoing video journal of the things you’re grateful for.
By having a record of these things, when times get difficult, you can look back on your list and see all the ways God has provided for you and blessed you.
And learning to fight for joy means fighting to be thankful in the moments that are less than ideal too, knowing that no matter the circumstances, God loves you and sees you and is using even the hardest moments in your life so that you can look more like Jesus. So as you list out the positive things you’re thankful for, thank God for the hard moments too, knowing that our God is good and faithful and at work in your life no matter what.
2. Write down Gratitude Verses
So on a post-it note or Index card, write down Philippians 4:4-8 or 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 or Lamentations 3:22-24 or Romans 8:28 and place it in a prominent place in your house or your office or car. That way when you see it, it becomes your cue in that moment to meditate on those passages and give thanks to God throughout your day.
3. Share with Others
And as followers of Jesus, we don’t follow Him on our own, but we share our joy with others. So as you work through these practices, talk about what you’re thankful for ongoingly with the people in your life. Or when you share a meal with someone, pray and share something you’re thankful for even if it’s just the food in front of you. Because when we share our joy - we actually increase our joy.
And when we practice gratitude more and more, the Scriptures tell us we fight anxiety, we push back apathy, we multiply our joy, and in the process, the Spirit uses our gratitude to look more like Jesus.
For more on the practices, go to FollowingJesusTogether.com