Men and women clustered in groups, heads tilted back in laughter and hands slapping knees as children trolled near the dining room table—its surface beckoning eager hands with steaming dishes of candied sweet potatoes and perfectly browned turkey. Participating in the large family gathering offered a welcome respite from the typical holiday disaster–a home steeped in abuse and violence— and I relished these small moments.

I raced down snowy hills on rickety sleds, smiled as great-aunts patted my cheeks, and saw the promise of love in others. Then, I cultivated gratitude—fostered and encouraged its growth—by planting each pleasant memory in my heart.

While much of my past is empty space, these sweet snapshots of my childhood are some I treasure. They remind me that even in difficult seasons, God blesses us with beautiful moments.

For many, 2022 has been a season marked by uncertainty and unrest. Rioting and rage. How, and why, does one celebrate amid such a challenge?

I am choosing to celebrate because gratitude is a posture of survival, a position of power, and a decision to express hope. (I will write more about these topics later this month.)

 

How to Cultivate Gratitude When Faced With Anxiety or Pride

 

Some experts, immersed in the recent and burgeoning study of gratitude, contend certain emotions and attitudes present barriers to living a life of thankfulness Two major deterrents are anxiety and pride.

Why might anxiety rob us of the ability to express and experience gratitude?

Left unmitigated, anxiety behaves like a fire. It lives, breathes, feeds, and grows—destroying joy and eliminating hope. How often do we feel grateful toward God or others in that place?

The original sin, pride massages the ego--filling our minds with entitlement propaganda. #cultivatinggratitude Click To Tweet Like Satan in the garden, it whispers, “Did God really say…” and we begin to doubt His goodness.

Gratitude can only flow from us when we humbly recognize the gifts in our lives. (See #2 above.)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 NKJV)

 

Cultivate Gratitude With This Approach

 

I spent my most impressionable years on my grandparent’s farm. Every spring, the low chug-chug-chug of the tractor informed me that Grandpa had headed to the fields. There, he plowed hardened chunks of half-frozen soil and loosened rocks buried beneath the surface—hammering large pieces of shale into sizes that would disintegrate into neatly turned rows.

Finally, the prairie sod was prepared and grandpa scattered the seed behind the tractor—folding minute brown kernels beneath Earth’s crust.

Months later, his labor produced a beautiful crop–full heads of wheat waving in the breeze.

To cultivate gratitude, one must also take action and be intentional.

Like the farmer sowing seed, we care for the soil of our hearts, knowing that seedlings of either thanksgiving or complaint will easily take root and reproduce. #cultivategratitude Click To Tweet

Science reveals the incredible influence our brain has on the body. The neural pathways that develop when we regularly express gratitude or frustration flood the body with hormones like dopamine and serotonin or cortisol. In less technical language? We either feel wonderful and connected to others or negative and irritable.

We can reap the benefits of gratitude by taking a three-pronged approach toward cultivating gratitude.

1. Recognize the blessings in our lives.
2. Offer thanksgiving and praise to the Benefactor of those gifts.
3. Beware of complaining.

Although this approach seems simple, I’ve listed a few practical ideas below that I am incorporating into my own life.

 

Nine Simple Ways to Cultivate Gratitude Toward God and Others

 

• Morning Moments of Praise-Before getting out of bed, thank God for five to ten areas of your life for which you are thankful. (Note: I recently started this practice after realizing my heart was brimming with complaints and anxiety. Every morning, I greet the Father with intentional gratitude and thank Him for the simple things as well as answered prayer.)
• Pray-Science supports what people of faith have known for centuries; prayer is good for you. It reduces anxiety and depression, regulates the heart, and improves the immune system’s health.
• Take a Gratitude Stroll-Enjoy a fifteen-minute walk and notice the bounty of God’s glory. As my friend, Sarah Geringer writes, notice the Hidden Manna.
• Write Thank You Notes– Writing letters of gratitude can boost happiness for weeks. Simply encourage the hearts of those you love by regularly tucking thank you notes into lunch bags or by sending them a “thank you” text message. Perhaps take it a step further during the holidays and write a note of thanks to those around your Thanksgiving table or sneak a letter or two under the Christmas tree.
• Journal-Before turning out the light, list three to five positive gifts you experienced that day.
• Gratitude Jar-List one item for which you are thankful on a small piece of paper and drop the paper in a jar. At the end of the month/semester/etc. read all of the items that were recorded. Invite family members to add to the jar, as well.
• Gather with Loved Ones-Whether you’re meeting with two or ten, invite those you love or would like to know better into your home.
• Listen to and sing praise and worship music. Some of my favorites are found here.
• Quell Complaints-Each time you complain this week/month, ask for forgiveness. Then, take a moment to pray—particularly if the complaint was about a person, business, or situation.

 

It may be more of a challenge to cultivate gratitude in today’s difficult climate, but I’m determined to pursue thankfulness. Would you like to join me in a Gratitude Challenge this year?

Join the Restoring Hope community today and on October 31^st you will receive a FREE printable Gratitude Calendar. Let’s cultivate gratitude together!

Peace and grace,

Tammy

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Tammy Kennington

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