How does Gratitude Fit in with your Regular Habits?

There are some habits in life we know we should maintain but sometimes we just don’t.

We should floss our teeth every day. The oil in the car should be changed every 5,000 miles. Disposable contacts should be discarded for new ones every month. We know all of this, yet, for one reason or another, we just don’t do what we know we should.

I find this to be true with the practice of gratitude as well.

I know I should be grateful, and not just at Thanksgiving. Sometimes, I am really consistent about practicing gratitude. Other times…I get busy just like everyone else, and remembering to be grateful just doesn’t always happen.

It is not uncommon for us to wait until there is a crisis to remember why these things are supposed to be habits in the first place.

When the car starts sputtering because we have neglected to maintain it, we suddenly find time to get the oil changed. When a tooth starts hurting, we quickly become very consistent at brushing and flossing. In the same way, a crisis in life can be a jolting reminder to practice gratitude. A cancer diagnosis in a loved one reminds us to be thankful for our health. Finding out a friend was laid off from his or her job triggers us to thank God for ours. Hearing about a couple getting divorced prompts us to be grateful for our spouse.  

While it is not wrong for these difficult reminders to lead us back to a place of gratitude, we are better off regularly maintaining this healthy habit.

 According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” No wonder God tells us through His Word to practice gratitude! He specifically tells us to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), to remember His love endures forever (Psalm 136:1), and to thank God because His kingdom cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

Waiting for a crisis before taking the time to do what we know we should have been doing all along often comes with a cost.

Inconsistent oral hygiene can lead to painful cavities. Dirty, sludgy oil in a vehicle can damage the engine. Wearing old contacts can result in oxygen deprivation for the eye causing permanent damage. In the same way, neglecting the practice of gratitude has consequences as well. Without gratitude, we tend to lack humility and grace. We can become more demanding and self-centered. We also have a greater potential to give credit to ourselves for the work of God in our lives. 

This is why God instructs us in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done,” (emphasis mine). Gratitude needs to be a regular part of our conversations with God. When we remember to be thankful before God, it can have a powerful impact on our perspective and our attitude. 

So, how can we remember to be grateful on a consistent basis?

Like most habits, it takes repetition. The best way to establish a habit is to set up a pattern that can be easily followed. I like to take time when I am journaling with God in the mornings to thank Him for the blessings in my life (even though some of them do not feel like blessings at the moment). This works for me because journaling is already something I do on a regular basis. What is something you do every day that could become a reminder to take a few minutes to thank God? Could you add this practice to every time you shower, drive to work, wash the dishes, or walk the dog? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but it will take some intentional effort. 

God has done so much in our lives! There is never a shortage of gifts to be thankful for, even in the hardest of circumstances. Let’s commit to making gratitude a more consistent part of our lives.