Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Gratitude"

by Joseph Parrish
What are you thankful for? There are many different reasons why one can be thankful, but I believe what's important is who or what you are grateful to. Who do you give praise to? If you are somewhat familiar with me and are acquainted with my deep rooted, self-ingrained ways, then you will not let this knowledge pass you by. I am always talking about God this, or God that. If you didn't know any better you would tend to think I must be one of God's ordained angels? I am not going to make excuses for the way I am just because you are tired of me talking about God; but that's just the way I was brought up. I was taught that I should count my blessings, and not let feelings of anxiety rob me of the joy and opportunity of living in this present moment, being mindful of all the reasons I have to spend all my time in gratitude. What does gratitude mean to you? To me it means, the going out of self, the "taste and see how good God is," that engenders a joy that seems to belong to another realm. I think by nature we are inclined to dwell on the negatives and complain about how unfair life is. Even after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, I think man became bent on being ungrateful. I hope it's okay for me to refer to God while mentioning gratitude in the same breath, because I think that God is worthy to receive all praise, this is what I mean when I talk about gratitude. Have you ever tasted and seen how good God is? I have. God has filled my heart with so much gratitude. Yeah, I admit sometimes I get careless and take God's mercy and grace for granted. That's why I can't understand why you skeptics are so reluctant to give praise where praise is due. So tell me, mister or misses unbelieving ones, are you ever thankful? Does your heart ever overflow with gratitude? Is God the center of your Joy? How do you feel right now? Are you more prone to be happy or sad? How do you feel about being in the penitentiary, are you content with that? Are you willing to say, this is where I am, so I will be glad and rejoice? Got no money on your books to make commissary, is that causing you a lot of unrest in your soul?

Instead of continually complaining, have you ever tried to express to God your gratitude, despite your circumstances? It's really easy, so won't you at least try it? Very simply begin by talking to God. Even if you have not established a vital relationship with him or even if you do not believe in him. Who knows what may happen? After all, we are man and God is God. So you do your part, and believe and expect for God to do his part. Even a skeptic at heart can be changed. We must not forget that God has given us commandments for us to practice, and obey if we want things to go well. Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, all is Thanksgiving.

Even here in prison, still we must be grateful. It makes no difference what we may be going through. I didn't say it was easy to practice gratitude. You've got to work on it, cultivate it. Just like if a farmer doesn't tend his crops they will all go to ruin. I've been having big time money problems for about five years now, but somehow Â"mysteriouslyÂ" God made a way out of no-way. And I still find that I can't afford to be complacent. Daily I must practice the presence of God. Daily I must acknowledge that God is the giver of all good things. Prayer is the means where by you do this. This access to prayer is a privilege which we should not take for granted, so let's be grateful.

We need to be praying 24/7, that's all the time. This is the only way to establish and cultivate a relationship with the source of our power. God can bring Life to our dead relationships. How is your relationship with your neighbor, are you grateful to know him? Do you talk to him or her whenever you can? Let's be grateful because no man is an island unto himself, so let's cultivate this love that we have for one another.

Let's not let bitterness of envy, jealousy, or strife poison our hearts and our tendency to exercise our gift of gratitude. It's work for sure, but if we are diligent, there is room for growth and maturity. My brother, my sister, you've got to pray. You're not alone, contrary to what you might think. There is inherent in life and brooding over the Life of man, a creative mind and the spirit of the living God. So let us be grateful that we are not left to our own devices, because within our own power we are not wholly qualified of being grateful. It takes a power greater than ourselves. True gratitude will show itself in our sincerity, or it does not, then it is not true gratitude. Gratitude, is more that a mental exercise, more than a formula of words. We cannot be satisfied to make a mental note of things which God has done for us and then perfunctorily thank him for favors received.

To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything he has given us, and he has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of his love, every moment of existence is a gift of his grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful man knows that God is good, not be hearsay, but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.