“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18).
How many of us remember our mothers nudging us to say “Thank you” at the dinner table or reminding us to write thank you notes for our birthday presents? We probably thought they were encouraging good manners, but our mothers were wiser than we knew.
It’s easy in this too-busy, too-crowded, too-expensive, too-demanding world we live in to fall into a habit of crabbiness. But what if we made a conscious choice to practice being grateful as our mothers reminded us?
Practicing gratitude is powerful. If we make a point of it for a while, before long – as our mothers hoped – it becomes a habit that has benefits far beyond good manners. Being grateful means being aware of all the blessings that are pouring out around us all the time – and that leads to our drawing closer in loving gratitude to the Source of all those blessings.
This message is excerpted from “Practicing gratitude in all circumstances” by Audrey Novak Riley from the July 24, 2023, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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