Gratitude . . .
In the counseling world, when people are feeling overwhelmed, it’s often suggested that they spend time each day focusing on thanksgiving. In the pastoral care and spiritual direction worlds there are similar exercises, encouraging people to prayerfully end the day by expressing gratitude for the blessings they experienced during the day. These exercises help us to move to a place of gratitude.
Here are two of my favorite William Arthur Ward quotes about gratitude:
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. Gratitude can transform what we have into more than enough. Gratitude creates abundance.”
“Fast from judging others, feast on Christ dwelling in them. Fast from discontent, feast on gratitude. Fast from hunger, feast on patience. Fast from bitterness, feast on forgiveness. Fast from self-concern, feast on compassion. Fast from suspicion, feast on truth. Fast from gossip, feast on silence. Fast from sorrow, feast on joy. Fast from worry, feast on faith.”
In these latter days of Advent, with Christmas fast approaching, one of the best ways we can prepare for the coming of the Lord is to firmly embrace a posture of gratitude. Our greatest gift is almost here. May we ready ourselves by living in a space of gratitude.
Source: Bishop Brian Prior – Gratitude