Intentional Gratitude

When I first moved out to the Pacific Northwest to follow God’s adventure, my ministry partner Paul and his wife Kathy used to invite newcomers to their home. And one of the first questions he’d ask was, “What are two or three things you appreciate about our church?” Coming from Minnesota, where we’ll almost tell you if you’re kind or are good-looking (but don’t want you to get a big head about it), this question seemed a little self-serving—like fishing for a compliment.

Years later, as I look back at Paul’s question, I realized he was training us in gratitude and creating a culture where expressing appreciation is natural and normal. It’s not a bad idea to train each other to intentionally express appreciation. It can become a trained habit that we cannot help but spread to our friends, families and neighbors.

The Apostle Paul—not my friend Paul—said almost 2,000 years ago, “Be thankful in all circumstances….” It’s a habit that gets easier over time as we creat new pathways in our brain that require less effort and energy. A few practical ways to get a gratitude habit ingrained in our brain? Look for ways to express appreciation to your friends or family daily; make short entries in a gratitude journal each day. or including gratitude in your prayer life are some practical ways to reset your brain’s default mode.