A few months ago, I did an experiment. For a week I tried my best to keep track of all of the times I said, “Thank you.”
On the days when I was at the church, I said “Thanks!” a lot. Sometimes it was for help with a project or answering a question. Or a nice compliment from a member about my new shirt. Or to the barista who so lovingly made my coffee that morning.
And on my days off, when I was at home or with friends, a little less often. To the server at the restaurant, of course. Or to my friends as they refilled my drink at dinner. And even just a big “Thank You” to God and the universe when I felt joy and gratitude in my heart.
Theologian Diana Butler Bass writes this in her book Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks: “Gratitude is not about stuff. Gratitude is the emotional response to the surprise of our very existence, to sensing that inner light and realizing the astonishing sacred, social, and scientific events that brought each one of us into being. We cry out like the psalmist, ‘I am fearfully and wonderfully made!’ (Ps. 139:14).”
I couldn’t agree more! Rarely, I am grateful for “things” unless they are a special gift from someone. Instead, I am grateful for the love of friends, the joy of a beautiful day, my health and wellness, and the presence of God’s spirit.
And the physical things that I am grateful for are the breath in my lungs, the food on my table, the clothes on my back. And of course, if something luxurious and expensive comes my way, then I will say thanks for that too!
Gratitude really is about being open and attentive to all of the wonderful things in life, the things that we can often ignore in the busyness of our days. Our existence is full of surprises, all of the light, sacredness, beauty, and awe.
And gratitude is our response to all of it. It’s less of a feeling and more of a practice. It is the act of pausing, breathing, and offering our gratitude to God and the universe. I guess this is why we call it “giving thanks” instead of “feeling thanks.” Gratitude is an intentional act, where we give something of ourselves back to that which has given so much to us.
I hope in this season of gratitude, you can find some time to pause, breathe, and offer your gratitude. I hope it fills you with joy and gives you strength to face each day. We are all truly blessed, if we take the time to appreciate it all!
Blessings and peace,
Pastor Aaron
