How to Strengthen a Life of Genuine Joyfulness: Say Thank You!

Your typical Monday may look a little like mine. It’s the beginning of the week, and I sometimes wish the traffic would move a little faster, or the line at the gas station . . . or just that person walking out the door in front of me! My mind is filled with lists, and what’s expected of me, and I think of all that I need to do or give.

With so much focus on me, I sometimes forget to notice the people and things around me.

And this is where the month of November is such a safe haven of slowing down and sitting back for me. I want to re-center my thoughts and reflect on all that has been done for and given to me.

I’ve come to recognize my hurriedness as a sign of me forgetting that there's a world of people outside of myself, and that God is truly a Giver of Gifts!

This month, I’ve decided to start each morning with a list of things I’m thankful for. Knowing that I’m going to make a list each morning causes my mind to stay active throughout the day, attuned to the gifts and wonder of life all around me!

I genuinely thought I would run out of things to be thankful for at some point, but the irony was that the more I looked, the more things I found. And the more I found, the more joyful I felt throughout the day. 

Gratitude Has Benefits!

It's probably no surprise that Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo in 7 Ways to Boost Your Gratitude found a variety of benefits for people who live with gratitude: improved mood, happiness in relationships, a healthier heart and immune system, better sleep, and protection against stress and depression.

Just those alone make me want to be a more grateful person!

Philippians 4:6 tells us that when we’re giving our requests to God with thankfulness, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard {our} hearts and minds.” 

How Do We Develop Gratitude?

Building gratitude is like exercising a muscle. It takes some training. And that training starts with our perspective.

I recently read Why Gratitude is Good by Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at UC Berkley.He gives a thoughtful definition: "Gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we've received. We recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves."

As a Christian, I've come to know and experience this goodness to be God's sweet grace to us!

I love how Philippians 4:19 says that God "will supply every need of yours according to His riches."

And God gives us further affirmation in Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

Paul affirms, God is a gracious and generous giver!

I really think that gratitude widens our world from being just about ourselves, to seeing God's gifts all around us! 

Thankfulness Brings Intimacy with the Person We Thank

Emmons continues that gratitude is "a relationship strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we've been supported and affirmed by other people."

Going out of our way to let someone know how much we truly value them, may not only make their day, but may also open up a door for deeper relationship with that person.

Luke 17 tells the narrative of the ten lepers that Jesus healed. All were happy to be healed, but only one of them returned to thank Him.

One of them came back for relationship, and I wonder if he was the most happy of the ten!

With thankfulness, I notice, affirm and move closer to the community around me.

I notice how creative my co-teachers are in their teaching, and how helpful the lady at Sprouts is. How my mentor faithfully prays for me, and my small group coach affirms me, and my roommate shares her food with me, and my mom takes time to call.

As I notice the details and people, my world gets bigger, and I find more things to be thankful for!

I'm aware that my life is bustling with good things: lattes, and sunflowers, and sunsets. God's gift of salvation and His faithfulness in providing and leading. For friends and conversations, small group and intimacy. For sparkling stars, sparkling champagne and sparkling dresses. Even the freeways (with traffic), and gas stations (with lines), and especially people (who sometimes need a little extra patience).

Time seems to stop as I notice details, move closer to people, and give thanks to the Giver of all good gifts!

Thankfulness Moves From our Minds to our Mouths

Gratitude moves from perspective to choice. A thankful heart is developed by simply choosing to say, "Thank you!"

Have you ever met a person who loves to celebrate? Their energy is contagious and attractive! If they hear we're going to go to dinner after church, they clap with a "woohoo!" They'll be the person to give you a big smile and hug and congratulations when you announce you got the new job.

They notice the good and they say it!

Similarly, a life of gratitude notices good things and says it!

And truly, that joy is contagious!

Moving From Performance to Enjoyment: Watching God's Show

It was kind of a magical night. The kind where you forget about that difficult person at work or the fact that you need to buy a new car, and you just get lost in a story greater than your own.

It was Mary Poppins being performed on Mount Helix on a warm summer night, and a full moon slowly rising in the back.

The orchestra, the lights and costumes. The custest child lisp when little Jane or Michael spoke.

Our ticket included a fun shuttle up the mountain at sunset, where I snapped pictures with my mom and her bestie. And then we snuggled into our mountain-top seats, breaking out the goodies from our purses. And our imaginations were transported to London in the 1960's with the Banks family.

I remember smiling so much that night. I wasn't performing. I wasn't teaching a class, or leading a group, or bargaining a price, or making a schedule. I was just sitting back and watching. Delighting.

Perhaps this is America's great intrigue toward entertainment. A longing to sit back and watch a story unfold. To be captivated.

I'm told (statistics say) 3,000 times a day, that something about my life is wrong and must be fixed. And I move on a treadmill of work, and relationships and productivity. I meet and grade and strategize. I cook and work out. I follow a schedule and keep busy. Keep the inertia going. 

But I lose my story.

And I feel God's gentle call to sit back and watch His show.

I'm called to come "just as I am." I'm not called to perform. I'm called to be in His presence, to watch and delight! 

And, again, He puts on a show. He makes the sun rise with a brilliant set of colors. And then He sets it with a completely new array. 

And I clap at the end of each day, "do it again, do it again!" And He says, I'll do it again tomorrow... and every day... for the rest of your life. :-)