Gratitude - A Spiritual Practice

As many of you know, gratitude is one of the central themes in my life. I strive to practice it on a daily basis. And when I do it transforms the ways in which I experience the world. It is my firm conviction that we are surrounded by abundance and support and the ongoing presence of God in every moment, and my practice of gratitude doesn't change any of that. What it does change is my awareness of the reality that is always present. It opens me up to perceive and appreciate and be transformed by that reality. 

I first became aware of the power of gratitude when I was looking back through the journal entries I had made during the period immediately before and after my late wife's death. It was the most challenging and painful experience of my life. I was sharing my journal posts with a community of family and friends as a way of processing the experience and staying connected with my support system. What I did not recognize at the time, and only came to appreciate as I revisited my journal posts several years later, was how pervasively the thread of gratitude had been woven through the entire experience. Over and over again, in the midst of those darkest of days, I had managed to find and express some reason to be grateful. It didn't change the outward circumstances. My wife was still dead and I was still filled with grief. But it did change how I experienced those outward circumstances. I remain convinced that, at least in part, it was this gratitude that helped me navigate my journey through grief. 

It should be noted that none of this was by intentional design. I did not make a conscious decision to engage in such a practice. The only way I have ever been able to account for it is to say that is was a gift straight from the heart of God. But once I became aware of its power I began to be intentional about making it an ongoing part of my life. Today it is one of my most important spiritual practices. And, as with most spiritual practices, the more I engage in it the easier it becomes. Sometimes “Thank you, God!” is passing through my thoughts and slipping past my lips almost before I am even aware of it. And it really has transformed how I experience the world and how I live my life. I invite you to give it a try. Set an intention to find one thing (or three things, or a dozen things) every day for which you can be grateful. Write them down, or say them out loud, or simply hold them in your awareness for a moment. Do it for a month and see how it feels. I believe it is an experiment worth trying.

And if you would like to see one of the ways I engage in this practice you can check out my “Daily Gratitudes” Facebook page - www.facebook.com/mydailygratitudes/

- Pastor Roger  

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)