Joyful Gratitude
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Recently, while reading Joan Chittister’s book The Breath of the Soul, I came across some very insightful words. In a chapter called “Blessing” Joan claims bounty and beauty and abundance give us a foretaste of wholeness. She says “These are the palpable manifestations of the goodness of God in our lives” and “they are simply signs that the God of life is a living, loving God.” She goes on to say, “learning to celebrate joy is one of the great practices of the spiritual life. It confirms our trust in God. It affirms the greatness of creation. It seals our dependence on God. It attests to the beauty of the present and asserts our confidence in the beauty of the future. It recognizes the mercy and love of God.” Finally, she says “When we celebrate the good things in life, we trace them to the Creator who gives without merit, openhandedly, out of the very goodness of community, love, and support that are by nature at the base of the human condition.”
I find in Chittister’s words a needed call to live my life in joyful gratitude. I know for a fact that I am richly blessed. When I do take time to count my blessings I am always amazed at just how blessed I am. It is helpful to remember that the good I see in my life is a sign that “the God of life is a living, loving God.” I must ever keep in mind that God is the Giver of all good gifts. (James 1:17) I must also bear in mind that such “bounty and beauty and abundance” deserves to be celebrated. I will confess that many times when I give thanks it is out of a sense of duty or obligation. Joy does not always characterize my thanksgiving. I suspect that there is a big difference in simply listing the things I am thankful for and being keenly aware of the things I am thankful for. The biggest difference may well be the presence of joy.
When I am outdoors in a natural setting I tend to be more aware of my immediate blessings. I seem to be more joyful. Part of the reason for this may be that bounty, beauty and abundance are more evident in nature for me than other areas of my life. In God’s Creation I am often overwhelmed by the wonder of it all. In my mind I know that there are just as many blessings in the other areas of my life but those blessings might not be as easy to see as the ones I find in the natural world. At least not presently.
Over the years I have trained myself to see and experience the goodness of God in Creation. I sense I need to begin to train myself to see better the blessings of God that are found elsewhere. I need to be more open to experiencing the goodness of God in my family and friends, in literature and the arts, and in the very exercise of living itself. There are so many other things that bring joy to my life. These things are also cause for celebration for they, too, are things that can be traced back to God and are, indeed, “palpable manifestations” of God’s goodness and grace.
I encourage you to join me on this journey of not only counting one’s blessings but joyfully celebrating them as well. Chittister is right, “learning to celebrate joy is one of the great practices of the spiritual life.”
–Chuck
(I took the images above this past Friday at Henderson Sloughs W.M.A. (KY) and Garden of the Gods (IL).