Do you know that the Fruit of the Spirit, Goodness, includes gratitude? When you think about it, the connection becomes obvious. As we extend goodness to others and ourselves, we should be equally grateful for the goodness God and others extend to us. Like the other eight Fruit, gratefulness costs us nothing except, sometimes, changing from our self-centered ego to other-centered.
I love author Daphne Simpkins’s humorous series on Mildred Budge, a crotchety, opinionated older woman who has as hell of a time trying to be a good Christian. After an encounter that tested her limits she says, “Gratitude was often, initially, an act of will. A discipline. A conscious choice that was a response to Scripture that urged you to be grateful in all circumstances. It took a long time to learn the power of gratitude.” Often it takes time for us, also. Yet, one of God’s greatest gifts is gratitude.
Lacking gratitude makes people harsh and complaining. We know these folks. They find little to nothing to rejoice about, often throwing wet blankets on others’ joy. They complain. They find scant goodness in their life. They fail to enjoy what they have and can’t imagine a different future than remaining unhappy with their plight. The grass is always greener.
Being grateful produces the opposite, it ripens into a cycle of recurring abundance and joy. Gratitude causes us to see the good in our circumstances. The more we see, the more we will find to be grateful for. Our outlook for the future is positive because that’s what we’ve experienced from God in the past. When we thank God and others for their part in it the cycle begins again.
How do we grow in gratitude? The same way Mildred Budge did—we make a conscious effort to cultivate it.
I pray you cultivate gratitude this season of thankfulness and carry it forward to the end of the year and beyond.
In gratitude for you,
- Karen Kaigler-Walker
Horizon Texas Conference Spiritual Growth & Soul Care Coordinator
*Adapted from Karen Kaigler-Walker, Aging in Spirit on the Fruit of the Spirit.
