Have you come across a gratitude jar? I was recently given one for my
birthday. The idea is that you have a
jar set aside into which you put slips of paper or card with a brief note of
something you are thankful for that day.
You could do it every day, or in my case, whenever you remember. The important thing is taking a few moments
to think – what am I grateful for today? It could be anything, so have an open
mind, and then jot that down on a piece of paper and pop it in the jar. As the jar fills up it is a visual reminder
of all the things that you are thankful for but is also a great encouragement
to go back to at different times.
It is often small changes that can yield big results in our
lives and trying to live from a place of gratitude is a simple change that
begins like yeast to work its way through the whole of our lives. If you are stuck in a cycle of comparing
yourself negatively with others, what would giving thanks for what you do
have begin to shift in you?
Whilst a gratitude jar might be new, the Bible has been
advocating this way of life for a long time.
In fact, when Paul was writing to one of his churches he even commanded
them – Be thankful! Being thankful is an overflow of remembering that we are
chosen, loved and forgiven by God.
Because God chooses us, loves us and forgives us, God asks those who
follow God to do the same, to love as we are loved, to forgive as we have been
forgiven, and then to let the peace of Christ rule our hearts. It is these things that lead us to a place of
thanksgiving (Colossians 3.12-15).
Sometimes it is easier to be thankful than others.
This morning I put my cup of tea on the floor as I went to get something
in the other room. Needless to say, as I
walked back into the room I kicked my cup with great accuracy and the tea flew
everywhere! The quiet moment I had been looking forward to sitting in the sun
with a book for a few minutes was lost as I tried to soak up the tea and scrub
the stain. It would have been easy to be
angry and frustrated. But I found myself
thankful for hot water from the tap that help me rinse, for a house safe and
secure with a fluffy carpet, for the fact that I could bend down and get back
up without a problem. Life is often not
straightforward, but thankfulness can change our perspective. Why not give it a go?
