What’s All The Hype About Gratitude?

As I talked with a business owner, I was quite moved by his display of very deep gratitude.

Without question he was experiencing a “gratitude moment” which was real, personal and full of meaning. It was as if the very real pain of his situation as a man, both in business and within family, was not even present. In that moment Psalm 46:10 had become real again as he chose to “be still” and “know” his God. It was clear that gratitude had found its way back into the center of who he was.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

We had been meeting weekly for the past couple of months. Although our purpose in meeting was to include the succession plan for his business and other aspects of his leadership, the immediate need was his sense of wellbeing. He knew he needed to rediscover that space of gratitude where he could once again

Find joy in his God,
Live into the beauty of who he was in Christ,
Have the God-given energy to serve well into his family and the many people dependent on him as a business owner.

He was courageously stepping into deep, personal, meaningful work. The fruit was evident! This fruit was growing because of a shift in a number of very focused, deliberate attitudes and actions.

These chosen attitudes and actions were reshaping him as a man, Christ-follower, husband, father and business owner.

Grow Your Gratitude Muscle – Download the Maverick Gratitude Worksheet.

It was a gift to experience this time with this gentleman. I am moved by the gift of God’s grace that provides the space and means to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:1-2 NLT). I am moved AGAIN by the truth that we do not need to stay stuck. I am grateful to experience again the reality of our God breaking through and reigniting faith, hope and love.

One of the interesting realities of our time is the proliferation of gratitude writing, research, and reflection. Google the word gratitude and you will see what I mean. In .58 seconds my search resulted in 75,900,000 hits.

The research community is discovering, in a compelling way, what has already been revealed to us by the One who loves us and instructs us to “give thanks in all things.” Google “gratitude research” and you will find about 63,400,000 hits.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”1 Thessalonians 5:18

Do a search in the popular press and you will find no shortage of perspectives being shared. Take a look at these 2 recent posts.

Gratitude! Embraced, it provides life; ignored we are left wanting, wondering if there was to be more.

Here are 5 gratitude realities for every one choosing to be a “Maverick”:

Gratitude is not just attitude; it is biology!

We are “hard-wired” in our design to be able to operate best with gratitude.

Gratitude is a choice.

The capacity in us to choose is so very powerful. God is clear that He is asking us to choose to “be thankful”. When we make this choice we connect with Him, with ourselves and with those around us. The impact is profound.

Gratitude is a habit to be built over time.

As with physical fitness, good habits must be built. By choosing gratitude over time you can rewire your brain. The result is a more “thankful” predisposition.

Gratitude is sound theology.

If you have invested any time at all in the scriptures you will agree that gratitude – an attitude of thankfulness, permeates throughout God’s word.

Gratitude is NOT an ignoring of difficult circumstances.

This reality challenges many of us. We are not sure how to live with the tension of difficulty and, at the same time, find gratitude through and beyond the challenges being faced. Gratitude is not a denial of circumstance. It is a recognition that the One who made you is more than capable to provide all that you need so that you can “take heart” in the midst of the circumstance. Jesus was so very aware of this the night before he died. In John 16:33 He reminds us that, in spite of challenge and tremendous difficulty, we can “take heart because He has overcome the world”. (Can I hear an “amen”?)

Here is my invitation. Decide that you will, with God helping you, cultivate a rich, deep, and meaningful life-long “attitude of gratitude”. This is a space where the “joy of the Lord” really is your strength…in the midst of any circumstance.

So what’s your attitude towards gratitude? If you asked those close to you, what would their feedback be to you?Gratitude is a Maverick mindset – make it yours!