I was first challenged to cultivate gratitude by a friend leading a session in a mother/toddler group I attended when my son was younger. Struggling with postnatal depression at the time, I often awoke with a feeling of hopelessness. I decided to take up the challenge, although I wasn’t sure what difference it would make. However, having the goal of thanking God for the day as soon as I woke up did help to shift my perspective, even though it was difficult at times (and wasn’t a ‘magic cure’ for my depression).

The challenge also included thinking of five different things to be thankful to God for daily. I couldn’t always think of five, but didn’t get hung up on that. The practice helped me to remember to thank God and gave me much more of an awareness of his hand of grace in my life at I time when his presence often felt pushed out by the depression. 

Being intentional

As the years have passed, I haven’t kept up the practice religiously, but I do go back to it every so often. Back in 2017, for example, I realised that my attitude wasn’t as positive as it had been previously. I was busy writing a book, and was grateful for the time I’d had set aside to do so, but I was beginning to get anxious about the fact that I hadn’t had much paid work. The lack of income was definitely weighing heavy on my mind.

I found that taking the time to intentionally thank God for what he was doing in my everyday life shifted my focus off of the ‘what ifs’. As a result, I was more grateful, and generally more at peace. I look back now with great thankfulness for that period, as I had the time and space to write without distraction, and God supplied all our family’s needs too.

Gratitude is an anchor for our lives

Thankfulness has also been an anchor for me in the toughest of times, and so I have been encouraging my kids to choose daily gratitude too. Not only is gratitude a biblical concept, but science has discovered the wisdom behind it in recent years. Research has proven that if you write down at least three daily gratitudes for 21 days it rewires the brain and improves your overall mental wellbeing. One of them has been struggling in that area recently, so has made it a priority to say three things each night that they are grateful for. As I say goodnight, we discuss them and then pray, thanking God. 

This is a practice that is full of positives – why not give it a try?

Incorporating thankfulness into each day

• On waking, thank God for your breath, for those close to you and for the chance to serve him for another day.
• Before going to bed each night, write in a journal five reasons to thank God.
• Just before switching off the light at bedtime, thank God for the way he has revealed his love and care to you.

If you would like a further thankfulness challenge, set an hourly alarm on your phone. Each time it goes offthank God for his presence, and for the fact that he is interested in every part of your life.

Reprinted with permission from Premier Woman Alive magazine, copyright Premier Christian Communications Ltd 2022, all rights reserved. womanalive.co.uk  

This is part of a mini series on spiritual disciplines. Read about choosing a word for the year, and utilising the Daily Examen.