GRATEFUL AS CHRIST
How did the Savior feel towards his Father in Heaven for his
blessings? How often did he express gratitude and in what ways? How often do I
express gratitude to God, loved ones and friends? What blessings am I promised
by God if I have a thankful heart? What can I do to be more grateful?
Alma 34:38
|
Recognize the blessings
bestowed upon you continually.
|
D&C 46:7
|
Thanksgiving is an
important part of prayer.
|
D&C 78:19
|
One who is grateful will
be made glorious, blessed an hundred fold.
|
D&C 59:21
|
Being ungrateful is
offensive to God.
|
D&C 59:7
|
Gratitude is a
commandment
|
John 11:41
|
The Savior set an example
of gratitude to God for us.
|
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
Psalms 100:3-4
|
Be thankful unto him and bless his name
|
Mosiah 2:19-22
|
Render thanks and praise that your soul
has power to possess to God
|
Ephesians 1:15-16
|
Cease not to give thanks
|
D&C 46:7
|
Ye should do all things with prayer and
thanksgiving
|
CHRIST AND GRATITUDE
“The Savior, Jesus Christ, lived a life of gratitude. He expressed
gratitude to His Heavenly Father in prayer when performing miracles[1]
and for earthly things such as food[2],
and He gave credit to Heavenly Father for giving us all things[3].
The Savior did not seek His own will, but showed gratitude and appreciation to
His Heavenly Father through obedience to all He was commanded to do. We too can
show this kind of gratitude to our Heavenly Father by living ‘in thanksgiving
daily’[4]
and keeping the commandments.”[5]
“‘And he took the seven loaves
and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and
the disciples to the multitude.’[6]
Notice that the Savior gave thanks for what they had—and a miracle followed:
‘And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat
that was left seven baskets full.’ … Said the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, ‘He
is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices
for those which he has.’”[7]
“Like the Savior, it is important for each of us to prepare ourselves
to give thanks for the atoning sacrifice each week as we partake of the
sacrament.”[8]
“Let us follow Him. Let us
emulate His example. Let us obey His words. By so doing, we give to Him the
divine gift of gratitude.”[9]
“My deepest gratitude is for the atoning sacrifice of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. The Atonement is the foundation upon which all gospel
truths reside.”[10]
“We should be thankful and express appreciation for all favors
received—and surely we receive many. The chief objects of our gratitude, however,
should be, and are, God, our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Redeemer. … To the Lord Jesus we owe an undying debt of gratitude, for
he bought us with a great price. It is impossible for us, weak mortals as we
are, to fully comprehend and appreciate the sufferings he endured on the cross
that he might gain for us the victory over death.”[11]
THE BLESSINGS OF DEVELOPING DEEPER
GRATITUDE
“Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but
it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love.”[12]
“A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness. Gratitude builds
humility as we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone
else. True gratitude is a foundation for faith, courage, contentment,
happiness, love, and well-being. Being grateful leads us to look outside
ourselves and turn to the bestower of the blessings. As we regularly express
our gratitude to our Heavenly Father, we cultivate an uplifting attitude. The
Savior has promised, "He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall
be made glorious"[13].
Bitterness, resentful feelings, or mean-spiritedness cannot exist in a grateful
heart. Greater happiness is achieved as deeper gratitude is developed.”[14]
“When you walk with gratitude, you
do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of
thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives.”[15]
“We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in
the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of
gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude
takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude
is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
“The spirit of gratitude is always pleasant and satisfying because it
carries with it a sense of helpfulness to others; it begets love and
friendship, and engenders divine influence. Gratitude is said to be the memory
of the heart”[16]
(Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 262).
CULTIVATING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
“The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and
with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light
drives darkness out of his life… Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up
selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful
and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium
of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”[17]
“A grateful heart… comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly
Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into
our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned
and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to
express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone
has said that ‘feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a
present and not giving it.’”[18]
“We would do well to get on our
knees and thank the Almighty for His bounties. We would do well, also, to
cultivate within ourselves a spirit of thanksgiving for the blessing of life
itself and for the marvelous gifts and privileges we enjoy. The Lord has said
that ‘the meek shall inherit the earth.’[19]
It is difficult to escape the interpretation that, rather than an attitude of
self-sufficiency, meekness implies a spirit of gratitude, an acknowledgement of
a greater power beyond oneself, a recognition of God and an acceptance of His
commandments and inspired way of living. Gratitude is the beginning of wisdom.
Stated differently, true wisdom cannot be obtained unless it is built on a
foundation of true humility and gratitude.”[20]
“Think to thank. In these three words is the finest capsule course for
a happy marriage, a formula for enduring friendship, and a pattern for personal
happiness”.[21]
“Gratitude is a state of appreciation, an act of thanksgiving, which
causes us to be humble because we recognize an act of kindness, service, or
caring from someone else which lifts us and strengthens us. Ingratitude is the
attitude of being unaware or not recognizing when someone has assisted us or
helped us or, even worse, when we know we have been helped and have not given
thanks privately or publicly. In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of
gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth
to the giver and the receiver alike.”[22]
“To express gratitude is
gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live
with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.”[23]
“Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an
inventory of these blessings for our posterity.”[24]
“Our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for Him.”[25]
GRATITUDE
IN PRAYER
“In your prayers, before you ask for blessings, pour out your heart to
God in thanks for the blessings you have already received. Thank Him for your
family, for friends and loved ones, for leaders and teachers, for the gospel,
and for His Son, Jesus Christ. You can also express gratitude to the Lord by
the way you live. When you keep His commandments and serve others, you show
that you love Him and are grateful to Him. Express appreciation to everyone who
helps you in any way.”[26]
“Gratitude may be increased by constantly reflecting on our blessings
and giving thanks for them in our daily prayers… A constant expression of
gratitude should be included in all our prayers. Often prayers are given for
specific blessings which we, in our incomplete understanding, believe we need.
While the Lord does answer prayers according to His will, He certainly must be
pleased when we offer humble prayers of gratitude.”[27]
“You could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today.
You could begin a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your
blessings, and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the
gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will
flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your
prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will
gratitude.”[28]
“I know of no better way to develop a spirit of appreciation in
children than for all members of the family to kneel and thank the Almighty for
His blessings. Such humble expression will do wonders to build within the
hearts of children a recognition of the fact that God is the Source of the
precious gifts we have.”[29]
“Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have
brings a calming peace—a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what
we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of
adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation
for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or
desire in the future. A recognition of and appreciation for our gifts and
talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help
and assistance from the gifts and talents possessed by others. Gratitude is a
divine principle.”[30]
“Prayer is an essential part of conveying appreciation to our Heavenly
Father. He awaits our expressions of gratefulness each morning and night in
sincere, simple prayer from our hearts for our many blessings, gifts, and
talents. Through expression of prayerful gratitude and thanksgiving, we show
our dependence upon a higher source of wisdom and knowledge—God the Father and
his Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are taught to “live in
thanksgiving daily.”[31]”[32]
GRATITUDE:
A SAVING PRINCIPLE
“To ‘thank the Lord thy God in all things’[33]
is more than a social courtesy; it is a binding commandment.”[34]
“As gratitude is absent or disappears, rebellion often enters and fills
the vacuum. I do not speak of rebellion against civil oppression. I refer to
rebellion against moral cleanliness, beauty, decency, honesty, reverence, and
respect for parental authority. A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness.
It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such
virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and
well-being.”[35]
“When we express thankfulness to
God and to his Son, Jesus Christ, we base our faith and repentance upon their
forgiveness and their goodness.”[36]
“Gratitude is the very essence of worship – thanksgiving to the God of
Heaven, who has given us all that we have that is good.”[37]
“King Benjamin’s teaching had a miraculous effect. Gratitude for what
they had led to faith unto repentance. That led to forgiveness. That produced
new gratitude. And then King Benjamin taught that, if we can remember and so
remain grateful, we will retain a remission of our sins through all the losses and
the gains of life.”[38]
“Remembrance is the seed of gratitude which is the seed of generosity.
Gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity, the pure love of
Christ. And so God has made possible for you and me this blessing, a change in
our very natures… I pray that we may make the simple choices which will lead us
there to dwell with Him. And I pray that we will remember and be grateful for
the gift of the Atonement and the gift of the Holy Ghost, which make that
journey possible.”[39]
“Gratitude is a sign of maturity. It is an indication of sincere
humility. It is a hallmark of civility. And most of all, it is a divine
principle. I doubt there is anything in which we more offend the Almighty than
in our tendency to forget His mercies and to be ungrateful for that which He
has given us. Where there is appreciation, there is also courtesy and concern
for the rights and property of others. Without these, there is arrogance and
evil. Where there is gratitude, there is humility instead of pride, generosity
rather than selfishness.”[40]
Take a Gratitude Challenge[41]
By John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat
Let’s not just talk about counting our blessings—let’s do it! Write a
list of 100 things you are thankful for. If that sounds like it is too many,
try this:
1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.
2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.
3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.
4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.
5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.
6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.
7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.
8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.
9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.
10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful
for.
When we make a list like this, we discover that a list of 100 doesn’t
even begin to scratch the surface of all the things God has given us.
COUNT
YOUR MANY BLESSINGS[42]
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done
Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your many blessings; see what God hath done
GRATEFUL AS CHRIST - ADDITIONAL NOTES
[1] John 11:41
[2] Matthew 15:36
[3] Matthew 11:27
[4] Alma 34:38
[5] http://www.lds.org/topic/gratitude/
[6] Matthew 15:32-38
[7] Thomas S Monson,
The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[9] Thomas S Monson,
The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[10] Robert D Hales,
Gratitude for the Goodness of God, Ensign, May 1992
[11] Marion G Romney,
Ensign, June 1974, p. 3
[12] Thomas S Monson,
The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[13] D&C 78:19
[14] http://www.lds.org/topic/gratitude/
[15] Gordon B
Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 250.
[16] Steven E Snow,
Gratitude, Liahona, January 2002
[17] Joseph F. Smith
as quoted by Thomas S Monson, The Divine
Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[18] Thomas S Monson,
The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[19] Matthew 5:5
[20] Gordon B
Hinckley, Standing for Something, [2000], p. 90
[21] Thomas S Monson,
Pathways to Perfection [1973], 254
[22] Robert D Hales,
Gratitude for the Goodness of God, Ensign, May 1992
[23] Thomas S Monson,
The Divine Gift of Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 2010
[24] Spencer W
Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 349.
[25] Russell M
Nelson, Thanks Be To God, Ensign, May 2010
[26] For the Strength of Youth: Gratitude
[27] Steven E Snow,
Gratitude, Liahona, January 2002
[28] Henry B Eyring,
Remembrance and Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 1989
[30] Robert D Hales,
Gratitude for the Goodness of God, Ensign, May 1992
[31] Alma 34:38
[32] Robert D Hales,
Gratitude for the Goodness of God, Ensign, May 1992
[33] D&C 59:7
[34] James E Faust,
Gratitude As a Saving Principle, Ensign, Dec 1996
[35] James E Faust,
Gratitude As a Saving Principle, Ensign, Dec 1996
[36] Robert D Hales,
Gratitude for the Goodness of God, Ensign, May 1992
[38] Henry B Eyring,
Remembrance and Gratitude, Ensign, Nov 1989
[40] Gordon B
Hinckley, Standing for Something, [2000], p. 90
[41] The Choice to Be Grateful, Ensign, December 2001
[42] Hymns, Count Your Blessings, 241
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