Practicing Gratitude
The Book of Colossians reminds us to reset our life by putting Jesus first. In a world that clamors “put other things first”, along with many loud and divisive voices all around us, and with our world still turned upside down—We all need a reset. What do we do?
Here it is: Put Jesus first.
How? Part of the answer scripture points us to is found in some interesting and challenging verses of the Bible found in Colossians 2.
It’s sort of a “here are your marching orders” as a Christian to go forward in our faith.
“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NASB)
Why Gratitude?!
Walking in Jesus gives us boundaries and focus. Being firmly rooted speaks to growth and faith that leads us to be established and strengthened. All these words are helpful and vital for our spiritual growth.
But why does the passage end with gratitude? Is part of putting Jesus first—gratitude? Why would that be? Why is overflowing with gratitude part of putting Jesus first?
Gratitude Completes Encouragement
It is possible to be encouraged without being grateful. All of us have had that experience where something good happens to us, and we are hopeful and joyful, but we don’t give a thought to the Source of the encouragement, to thank Him.
Gratitude guards our soul. It helps us refocus as we don’t take God for granted but instead fill our heart with gratitude.
God, according to scripture, takes this all very seriously.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Romans 1:21 (NIV)
In fact, grumbling (the opposite of gratitude) is a sin. When our thinking is foolish, dark and confused, ingratitude is the result.
Nobody Drifts into Gratitude
We all have this problem when it comes to gratitude: We tend to think—I’ll be grateful to the extent I get things in my life to be grateful about. The more good things I experience, the more grateful I’ll become.
But gratitude is not a product of our circumstances. That would be like: If a parent gave their child everything they ever wanted and gratified every wish they had so they would be grateful. We don’t call a child raised that way grateful. What do we call a child raised that way? Spoiled.
Gratitude is not about the circumstances I have, it’s a matter of the person I become.
It’s not about the stuff I receive in life, it’s about the character I develop.
The Bottom Line
As we reset and put Jesus first, overflowing gratitude is key to that process of putting Jesus first.
Here are two practical ideas to help put Jesus first through gratitude:
1. For you to be grateful—you see what you are getting in life as a gift you did not deserve.
Whenever I feel like I’m entitled to something, I don’t express gratitude for it. It’s the whole idea about saying a prayer at a meal. In the Old Testament, the Israelites actually prayed for the different part of the meal. Blessed are You, God, who created grapes. Thank You for making grapes. Thank You God for bread. For allowing the fields to produce the grain, You are the source of all good things.
How much of life do you see as a gift? Where you don’t take it for granted or feel entitled.
2. Make overflowing gratitude a part of your daily routine.
By seeing everything as a blessing when you are brushing your teeth or driving. Make being grateful a part of your daily routine so it can become a habit for you.
Let me finish by sharing a prayer that helps me be grateful:
“God, thank you for waking me up today because You didn’t have to. Thank you that I get another day. Thank you that when I got up today, there was food in the kitchen, clothes in the closet, water when I turned on the faucet. Thank you that my body still mostly works. Thank you that today the sun came up again, and the trees were budding and I’m in Texas. Thank you, God for teachers who taught me and farmers who grow food, and people who fix things and write things and clean things. Thank you for my church, for the Bible that teaches me, for the Spirit who guides me, for the cross that reminds me of the mercy I have received, for the work I get to do that has meaning. Thank you that when my last day comes and my life is over, Jesus will be with me and my real life will be just beginning. Thank you for the hope I have that I don’t deserve.”