Attitude of Gratitude | cultivating a thankful heart
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
The Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner, and some of us might not be feeling all that thankful. Thankful in all circumstances? Really? I mean—Paul, the author of 1 Thessalonians, clearly meant all circumstances except trying to raise teenagers during a global pandemic—right?! (Kidding, Paul dealt with a lot more suffering with a much better attitude than I ever have).
It’s been a tough year. Maybe you’ve lost a job or dealt with sick family members. Maybe your kids are struggling with the constant changes and lack of social opportunities. Maybe you’re just sad thinking about how different the holiday season is going to look this year. It can be hard to remember where we’re blessed during this season that seems to have us feeling down.
We tried to think of a few ways you can cultivate a grateful heart during this Thanksgiving season—
The Dinner Game: Growing up, my mom routinely made us play “the dinner game” whenever we could eat all together (it’s not really a game, but if you call it a game--then it’s fun). Everyone took a turn and shared the best part of their day, the worst part of their day, and something nice they did for someone else. It gave us a minute to reflect on our day—to think of something good, something that we were grateful for--and it held us accountable to be kind to someone else during our day.
Many of our Lifeline leaders do a variation of this each week with their small groups as “highs and lows” –your student might be familiar with this “game” already!Thankful Wreath: For my fellow creative parents (or maybe families with younger kids in the house too), a thankful wreath is a visual way to look at all the things a family is grateful for. You could cut out leaves (or order some precut ones on Amazon) and leave them in a central location in your house. As you think of something you’re grateful for jot it down on a leaf and add it to your wreath! By Thanksgiving you’ll have a full wreath and a full heart.
Write a Note: I often think about how I’m grateful for someone and don’t say anything. That Lifeline leader who went above and beyond on Wednesday night or my child’s school secretary who gives me a call when he bumps his head in gym class—they should know that we’re grateful for the little things! Send a text or a note to let someone know you’re grateful for them. It could be a big thing or a little thing. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be sincere. Sharing your gratitude will make both of you feel good!
Keep a Journal: This is a tried and true way to find gratitude all year long. Pastor Jeff Manion often shares about his daily practice of writing down 3 things he’s grateful for. They can be small and simple—or they can be grand and elaborate. A kind text from a friend. Your favorite meal for dinner. A silly moment with your kids. The sun shining on a November day. You pick! Whatever your heart drifts to—write it down. Let God know your grateful for these little gifts he gives us. Day after day, you’ll find it’s easier to dwell on the good instead of focusing on what’s wrong. Try it for a week—and you might find yourself doing it longer!
We hope that gives you some ideas of how you can cultivate a grateful heart this holiday season! Hopefully you can enter Thanksgiving with overflowing gratefulness.
Here at Lifeline, we’re so thankful for you all! We’re grateful that you send your kids each week and/or keep them connected to their small groups online. We’re grateful that you help feed our volunteers pizza. We’re grateful that you show up early to help take temperatures or check students in. We’re grateful for your grace and understanding as we navigate what our ministry looks like in this crazy season.
So, thank you, parents, for sharing your kids with us. We are so deeply grateful.
About the author:
Caitlin Malski
Caitlin Malski is the Weekly Programming Administrative Assistant.