When you think of the characteristics of a life of faith \u2014 does thankfulness come to mind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So much of the Christian scriptures are about giving thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From Daniel, who defied the king\u2019s law against prayer by continuing to pray three times a day, \u201cgiving thanks to his God\u201d (Dan. 6:10), to the psalmist\u2019s repeated refrain: \u201cO give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!\u201d (Ps. 118:1), to Paul\u2019s encouragement: \u201cRejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you\u201d (1 Thess. 5:16-18), the scriptures form us to be a thankful people: a people who have built up the habit of paying attention to what is good, recognizing where it comes from, and saying \u201cthank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why does thankfulness get so much attention in our tradition? Why is it so important to our lives of faith?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychologist Robert Emmons wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research on emotion shows that positive emotions wear off quickly. Our emotional systems like newness. They like novelty. They like change. We adapt to positive life circumstances so that before too long, the new car, the new spouse, the new house \u2013 they don\u2019t feel so new and exciting anymore.
But gratitude makes us appreciate the value of something, and when we appreciate the value of something, we extract more benefits from it; we\u2019re less likely to take it for granted.\u00a0
In effect, I think gratitude allows us to participate more in life. We notice the positives more, and that magnifies the pleasures you get from life. Instead of adapting to goodness, we celebrate goodness. We spend so much time watching things \u2013 movies, computer screens, sports \u2013 but with gratitude we become greater participants in our lives as opposed to spectators.1<\/sup><\/pre>\n\n\n\nActively paying attention to what is good and appreciating it \u2013 this is a way of being awake to our lives. Awake to the flavors of the food we taste; awake to the amazing qualities of our spouse; awake to the things we are able to do with our bodies. When we make thankfulness a practice, we realize we can do better than just \u201cget through\u201d life \u2013 we can live it. And God did not create us to be numb \u2013 God created us to be alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfulness is also a way of being awake to God\u2019s presence in our lives, because \u201cevery generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father\u2026\u201d (James 1:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we notice the good things in our lives, we remember where they come from. Maybe this includes the people who made these things possible. Always, the ultimate source is our good and generous God. To notice the good in our lives and to appreciate it is to praise God and to draw near to the one who creates it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Pastor Kate<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rev. Katherine Museu<\/a>s<\/em> and Rev. James A. Wetzstein<\/a> serve as university pastors at the Chapel of the Resurrection at Valparaiso University and take turns writing weekly devotions<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n1.\u00a0Robert Emmons, \u201cWhy Gratitude is Good,\u201d Greater Good Magazine: Science-Based Insights for a Meaningful Life<\/em>, November 16, 2010. Quoted in Brene Brown, Atlas of the Heart<\/em>, (New York: Random House, 2021), p. 213.
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