An Attitude of Gratitude

Perspective is everything when we experience life’s ups and downs…

There’s a 92-year-old petite, well-poised and proud lady who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock. Her hair is fashionably combed and her make-up perfectly applied even though she is legally blind. Today she left her home of three-quarters of a century to move into a nursing home following the recent passing of her husband of seventy years. After waiting patiently in the lobby of the healthcare facility, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.

As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, an aide provided a visual description of her room, including the new lace curtains that had just been hung at her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. “But Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room yet. Just wait.” “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” replied the old woman.

“Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s how I arrange my mind. I’ve already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice: I can spend the day lying in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work; or I can get out of bed and be thankful for the parts that do work. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new day and the gratitude of all the happy memories I’ve stored away just for this time in my life.” (Adapted from an unknown source)

This story reminds us that life is all about perspective, or how we look at things. It’s a realization of what is taking place and making a conscious decision on how to move forward. Do we crawl through the bitter valley, or do we walk with an attitude of gratitude?

In the gospel, we hear about Jesus encountering ten lepers who cry out for healing. But only one of the lepers returned to Jesus with gratitude after realizing he’d been healed. This is very similar to Mrs. Jones in the nursing home. She was probably one of the few who woke up day after day with gratitude in her heart. Despite all her aches and pains that every other resident likely suffered, she consciously chose to look beyond them.

And this same message speaks to us today. We should all be grateful for what we’ve been given in this life and be faithful in all that we do by living out that gratitude each and every day. How do we do this? Simply by praising God, thanking God, and following God. When we do these three things each day, we will experience a complete transformation of consciousness.

You’re probably thinking that praising God is the same as thanking God. But these are actually two very different things. Praising God is acknowledging God for who He is, while thanking God is expressing our appreciation for everything we received from Him. Both are essential in our prayer life. Think of it this way: if we only praise God for what he has done, we won’t be able to acknowledge or appreciate God’s love during our darkest days or those days when nothing goes our way.

Praising God means acknowledging Him for all that He is. This means recognizing his goodness, grace, kindness, holiness, love, forgiveness, mercy, etc. Which brings up a very important question that I hear all the time: How can I possibly praise and thank God with all that is going on in the world and even in my life right now?

Let’s be honest, it’s easy to be despairing, depressed, anxious, fearful, and even angry. Our bodies seem to be failing at a rapid pace. Our minds may not be as sharp as they used to be. Our health may be going downhill. We are surrounded by war, violence, natural disasters, nasty politics, and the scars of a global pandemic. It never seems to end. How can we possibly praise and thank God when life as we know it seems to be crumbling before our very eyes?

Here’s the thing: praise and gratitude chases away despair. There’s no better way to beat the blues than to change our focus from ourself to God. Because you cannot be grumpy when you are praising and thanking the Lord. Try it. You can’t do it.

Despite all the things that are not going according to OUR plan, we must find a way to continue to praise and thank God. When we do this many things happen. We remind ourselves that God is God and I am not. We put emphasis back where it should be – away from ‘me’ and more to ‘Thee.’ It relieves our anxieties, despairs, and fears and actually clears our vision to see beyond our trials. We love God more; we enjoy God’s presence more, and our hearts are open more to receive God’s love. It truly changes our perspective.

When the Samaritan falls at the feet of Jesus, it’s more than just a moment of worship. It symbolizes his commitment to the teachings of Jesus and his desire to follow the way of life that Jesus advocates.

In our first reading, Naaman is cleansed of his leprosy and he is filled with such praise and thankfulness that he turns his gratitude into a deeper faith in God. That’s what you and I need to strive to do.

Praise and gratitude are necessary first steps, as these do lead us to a new life. But more is required. Just as Naaman had to go dunk himself in the river seven times, and just as the lepers had to go show themselves to the priests, we too are instructed by Jesus to get up and go. We have to change our perspective and realize that it’s time to live differently – not to return to our old ways but to find a new way: a way that follows the path of Jesus and being faithful to his teachings.

We have a choice. Do we live like the nine lepers and become so engrossed with the blessings that we have received and completely forget about the One who has given us these blessings? Or do we run back, fall to our knees at the feet of Jesus with an overwhelming desire to continue and deepen our relationship with our loving Healer?

Each day is an opportunity for us to change our perspective because each day is a gift from God. So let us praise and thank God for all our blessings in our lives and find the strength to be faithful in following God despite the many obstacles that may clutter our path. May we always possess a joyful heart and approach each day with an attitude of gratitude.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. Read why here.