An Attitude of Gratiude

How often do express your gratitude to your family, to your friends, or to your God?  Does it take the turning of the calendar to the month of November and the Thanksgiving season to remind you to give thanks?  Or, is your expression of gratitude a regular part of your action on a consistent basis throughout the year?  It only takes a few seconds to say “thank you” when someone does something for you or gives something to you.  It only takes a few minutes to write a card of thanks and place it in the mail.  Showing appreciation does much for you as well as for the person receiving the expression of gratitude.

All too often we take for granted the service that is done for us whether it is a gesture, a gift, or an action taken to help us.  When we express our thanks – to friends or family – it makes the service or action taken so much more pleasurable.  It tells the giver of the gift or action that what he or she has done is appreciated.  So often, things that are done around the house or at work are taken for granted.   Taking the extra seconds or minutes to express your thanks propels everyone toward more willing service and action. 

Surveys have shown that the biggest reason people quit jobs is that they don’t feel appreciated.  Could feeling unappreciated also apply to fractured marriage relationships, weakened ties between friends, distance experienced between family members, and separation from God?  All of us would do well to determine that we are going to cultivate an attitude of gratitude on a regular basis – and then take action to express thanks to others immediately.   “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:18).