How to Practice Gratitude

First, we need to understand why we should be thankful. There is a verse in The Gospel of Matthew that says: “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” On the surface, this may seem unfair—why give more to those who already have, and take away from those who have little? However, when you consider the meaning of “gratitude,” this statement makes sense: those with a grateful heart will be given more and become abundant. Those who lack gratitude will lose even what they have.

You might say, “This is religious and not necessarily scientific.” Let’s look at something scientific. Newton’s Third Law of Motion states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that for every force, there is an equal and opposite force acting along the same line. If you don’t believe it, try clenching your fist and hitting the wall at home. Does it hurt as much as you hit it? Gratitude works in a similar way; it is a force. Every act of gratitude generates a reaction force—receiving. When you express gratitude, the reaction force you receive is grace or favor. In other words, every act of gratitude brings a return. The stronger and more sincere your gratitude, the greater and more abundant your return will be!

When my son entered his rebellious phase around the age of 14, our relationship became strained, and the entire family dynamic was chaotic. I often complained that my child was immature and ungrateful. However, through self-reflection and learning, I began to ask myself: Do I really understand gratitude? If I truly understood gratitude, why would I complain about my child? It is said that children are angels sent to save their parents, so we must be grateful to God for giving us this gift—our child, an angel. This is a blessing, a gift from God, for which we should be thankful. If our child is lively and healthy, we should be grateful.

A child's dissatisfaction with us is an opportunity for their self-growth, and we need to be patient and wait for them to grow. What matters most is the path that God has laid out for them. As parents, we should lead by example, not strive for control or perfection but surrender control to God. We have the responsibility to sow the seeds of faith in our children’s lives, but we are not the sunlight or the rain—that is God’s work.

Parents who show gratitude in daily life can help their children feel love and be surrounded by it. For example, when enjoying a delicious meal, thank the chef who worked hard to prepare it; when mastering new knowledge or skills, express appreciation for the diligent teaching of mentors. Cherish readily available resources, remember the struggles of being without, and be grateful for every supportive force around you. This will fill life with joy and happiness. A child who understands gratitude will recognize that even the smallest things are the result of someone’s effort.

The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). “All things” include difficulties and failures. I choose to trust God’s plan, being grateful for what I have and what I do not have; what God withholds may be something we don’t need. Gratitude in all things is the best attitude in life: being thankful for what we receive and what we lose. This is the Christian cultural attitude we should adopt. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Joy is the best life attitude. We should face the peaks and valleys of life with optimism. As the saying goes, optimistic people are often happier and live longer. Simple joy and contentment foster happiness, which benefits both physical and mental health.

Prayer is an act of surrender, entrusting our joy and sorrows to God, allowing Him to take control while we simply follow His guidance.

Being thankful in all circumstances is the best posture in life. Gratitude is the life secret that God teaches us, and it is also His command to His children. Obedience brings blessings, and gratitude brings blessings!

Gratitude makes one joyful and spreads joy to those around them. “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” When we offer gratitude, a wounded soul can be healed. Let us appreciate life, practice gratitude starting from the small things, and greet each day with a thankful heart.

Be thankful for everything you encounter, whether it is a peak or a valley. The experiences in life can lead to growth—having been hurt or going through difficult times can help one grow and develop strength and independence. A message from a soccer coach to our children: experiencing setbacks and challenges in playing soccer from a young age builds resilience, enabling them to face many things in life with composure and not be easily disturbed. Going through hardships and setbacks at a young age is beneficial and should be met with gratitude. The case of the Google engineer who graduated from Tsinghua University and killed his wife shows how someone who had smooth sailing throughout his early life, without significant setbacks, struggled to cope with difficulties when they arose. Without the teachings of Christian culture and the understanding that one should be grateful in both good and bad times, he lost his way, leading to tragedy. A poet once wrote: “Being scorned can awaken my self-respect and self-love; being deceived increases my wisdom; being criticized and nitpicked reminds me of my flaws and prevents me from being arrogant.”

Being grateful for what you have can protect and sustain long-term prosperity in your life. Reflect on different aspects of life: finances, health, happiness, career, family, and relationships. In those areas where you feel relatively well-off, it is often because you have shown gratitude, and abundance and fulfillment are a response to your grateful heart. Conversely, the areas where you feel dissatisfaction are often a result of lacking gratitude. Gratitude is the best attitude in life; treating the people and things you encounter with gratitude will surely bring you greater abundance and happiness, as well as God’s grace. The Jewish perspective on life holds that wealth is a gift from God, not solely the result of personal effort. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”

A person who constantly holds a grateful heart can easily live in joy. An important method is to view things with an attitude of gratitude, which is also a secret to life.

There is a story of an old woman who had two sons: the elder sold umbrellas, and the younger made dried noodles. When it rained, the old woman worried that her younger son couldn’t dry his noodles. When it was sunny, she worried that her elder son couldn’t sell his umbrellas. As a result, whether it was sunny or rainy, the old woman lived in constant worry and pain. One day, she adopted a mindset of gratitude, and everything changed. When it rained, she thanked the heavens for boosting her elder son’s umbrella business. When it was sunny, she thanked the heavens for allowing her younger son to dry and sell more noodles. Therefore, rain or shine, the old woman lived in joy because she was grateful every day.

If one constantly holds a grateful heart, living joyfully becomes easier. Truly, everything is by God’s grace, as the Bible says: “But by the grace of God, I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Everything is a gift from God. The Bible also says: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17). Therefore, “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

To receive, one must first give—this is the fundamental rule of gratitude. First and foremost, you need to express your thanks with a grateful heart. Without doing so, the magic of gratitude will leave you, and you will not attain the life you desire. Without gratitude, one takes without feeling, treating everything as if it is owed. When you are not grateful, you block the path to better health, improved relationships, greater joy, increased financial abundance, and progress in your job, career, or business.

“Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). You should treat others the way you would like to be treated. Understand that this is the teaching of the law and the prophets. In life, there are usually moments when people feel grateful, but for some, gratitude is limited to those moments. However, I tell you: gratitude has magic. The power of gratitude can bring wonderful changes to your life. The more you are grateful, the more blessings you will receive, and more good things will come your way. You must keep trying to make gratitude a way of life, allowing it to become a core value in your life.

Prayer: Lord, fill us with gratitude. We have so many things to be thankful for, even in difficult times. It is easier to be grateful in times of prosperity, but if we understand Your good will and purpose, we can also offer thanks during hardships. Lord, we pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, You remove our rebellion, worldliness, selfishness, impatience, and all thoughts or habits that hinder our gratitude. Starting from today, no matter the challenges we face, we thank You for Your mercy and help, for each new morning is a testament to Your great faithfulness. Thank You for everything You have done for us through Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us eternal life and the hope of an eternal home in heaven. Thank You for guiding our lives, revealing the truth to us, teaching us humility through trials, and molding us to be more like Christ.

Thank You for giving us a heart of gratitude. You are worthy of praise and thanks. Not being grateful is a sin; we ask for Your forgiveness and guidance to walk the path of righteousness, offering thanks in every place and for everything. Help us inspire those around us, giving glory to You in the name of Christ. We pray in the name of Christ, Amen.