The awesome power of gratitude

In several countries around the world, people set aside a day each year for Thanksgiving. But I have seen that there’s also great value – no matter where we live – in recognizing gratitude as more than an occasional, though admirable, human emotion, and instead as an ongoing, ever-available spiritual power.

The Bible brings out the ever-presence of God, good. As we’re grateful, we open our eyes to the presence of that divine good, and to harmony.

If we think of good and harmony as evolved from and dependent on atoms forming molecules that coalesce into cells and biological life, then that good and harmony can vary. But what if beyond a limited, organic view of life, we think of Life as divine – as God, who is reflected invariably in His spiritual creation?

Becoming conscious of this perfect Life, God, elevates our concept of gratitude. As we align our thought with the spiritual reality of Life’s eternality and purity, we can’t help but be thankful for it and discern God’s power to uplift and heal. I have experienced this countless times, in overcoming tragedy and improving my health and relationships.

This kind of gratitude outshines positive thinking, seeing a glass half full instead of half empty, or metaphorically making lemonade out of lemons. Through this thankfulness we come home to the metaphysical or spiritual reality that God is the eternal source of all good, from which we can never be separated.

Human good – a lifelong friendship, glorious scenery, beautiful music – echoes in some measure this spiritual reality, and so is to be appreciated. At the same time, all of the bad things of human existence – the disappointment, fear, conflict, illness – in no way echo this divine, all-pervading reality.

As we see more clearly the spiritual reality that only good reflects the sustaining Principle, God, the good aspects of human life become even more beautiful, while the bad aspects gradually fade away. Gratitude hastens our full awareness of the reality of harmony alone.

The Bible shows that the Master healer, Christ Jesus, knew the power of gratitude. For instance, he expressed thanks before raising Lazarus, who had died, and before multiplying just a few loaves and fish to feed a multitude. He sang a hymn with his disciples the night before his crucifixion. While on the cross he said aloud the opening line of Psalm 22 – a psalm that starts with anguish yet finishes with a universal paean of praise to God.

But what if we feel too afraid or too worried to be able to think of anything else but our problems or those of the world? Sincere gratitude, even for one blessing, can break that pattern of thought and help us feel the presence of good – help us feel free and courageous. God’s infinite, healing goodness draws us toward Him just as the sun draws a sunflower toward it. In truth, each of us has been created to praise God and to experience His freedom, and no fear or worry can hold us from our divine, elevated purpose as God’s spiritual offspring.

With every expression of divinely inspired gratitude, we acknowledge the presence of good whose source is God. We experience in some degree the ever-sustaining and uplifting power of infinite good.

Gratitude can be more than a once-a-year event. It can become a constant, heartfelt discipline, a mental stance, that enables us to always know God’s infinite goodness and to bless others, each and every day of the year. And that truly is wonderful.

So, happy moment-by-moment Thanksgiving to everyone – wherever you are!