Encouragement

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“We thank thee, Father, for thy care, and for thy bounty everywhere,
For this and every other gift, our grateful hearts to thee we lift.”

This is one of the many Graces that are said daily across the Christian world, and it is a simple, but mighty way, of giving thanks for all that we have. Gratitude is about enjoying all that this wonderful life has to offer – the sights, sounds, and abundance, and celebrating the blessings of our family and friends, and the wider community.

We all have within us the ability to make our lives even richer and more positive by noticing daily events, appreciating the benefits we receive, and focussing on thoughts of plenty, and all that is good in our lives.

One of the finest and most noble ways of expressing our gratitude is by acknowledging all those around us, the fact that they are there, and what they mean to us, our family, our friends, everyone. Often all it takes to express appreciation are the simple words ‘Thank you’. Those words are two of the most powerful in the English language, for it is a fact that one of the deepest cravings of human nature is the need to be appreciated.

Whenever you express appreciation toward another person for anything that the other person has done, you make him or her feel more valuable, more competent, and more worthwhile. Odd as it may seem, even in moments of upset or confrontation we can still be grateful to those who try our patience. This does not in any way diminish the problem, and it can be difficult, but if we can say to ourselves “Without these people in my life, who challenge my patience, kindness, and self-control, how would I ever learn to grow in understanding and tolerance?”

And even in times of hardship when it seems that there is no solution to our problems, and that nothing could be worse, we can still find something in our lives to be grateful for.
There is an old saying that demonstrates clearly what gratitude really is, and it is this: “I once was unhappy because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet!”

So if we can focus on and be grateful for what we have – not on what we don’t have – and live each day with an attitude of gratitude, then we will make this journey through life that much smoother, richer, and more abundant.

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