5 Ways to Practice Gratitude All Year

Scripture commands gratitude, and as Christians, we know that we can always be thankful for our salvation. However, creating habits of thankfulness can be more challenging. Our fast-paced world often moves too fast for us to stop and see the blessings, big or small, that our Lord is lavishing upon us. As a new year approaches, let’s implement some practices to help us see God’s faithfulness in our lives.

We don’t know what the new year holds, but we know who holds it. Let’s look forward to the new opportunities with our hearts postured toward gratitude.

1. Gratitude Calendar

When a feeling of gratitude comes over you, or you notice a large or small blessing, jot it down on your calendar or in your planner. At the end of the year, you can look back over these moments to remember God’s faithfulness throughout the year. You could also use a journal if you prefer writing out your thoughts and memories in more depth.

2. Flip it Around

Develop a practice of fighting discontent with gratitude. When you see a negative, acknowledge a positive. This isn’t meant to diminish your real struggles but to help shift your perspective and remind you of the good that still exists amid the hard. An example may include when you notice a huge stack of dishes, you can thank God for plenty of food. This is a practical way to practice Philippians 4:6-7, the result of which will be peace.

3. Celebrate

Start the new year by remembering the blessings of the past year. Commemorate the event with a bonfire and special treats. Everyone around the fire can share gratitude from the previous year. Read scriptures of God’s promises to believers as you look to the new year with hope. Then, write down blessings throughout the year to save in a jar. At the next New Year’s Eve event, open the jar and read them!

Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. ” Let’s enter the new year in a similar way.

4. Scripture Memorials

Write out scripture cards that focus on gratitude. Place them around your home, car, and office. You could choose twelve for the year and memorize one per month. Or, if you are ambitious, shoot for one per week. Keeping your mind filled with God’s words on thankfulness will remind you to be on the lookout for his faithfulness.

5. Pay it Forward

When you become aware of a specific way that God has blessed you, demonstrate your thankfulness by similarly blessing someone else. If you feel gifted financially, make a special donation to a worthy cause. If you feel blessed by friendship, plan an outing or event for your friend group. If your gratitude is for your spouse, buy them a gift or treat. If your home inspires thankfulness, open it up to others or make a plan to enhance your stewardship of your home. Get creative and act on the feelings of thankfulness.

Scripture is full of examples of God’s people stopping to thank Him for His provision and to set up reminders or “memorial stones” to honor the events and circumstances that blessed them. In our modern world, we may not be able to build stone pillars as we go, but we can build habits and practices that keep our minds aware of God’s promises and His faithfulness to them.

You may even need to schedule moments of gratitude to act as your “memorial stones.” Perhaps a Saturday evening before church the next day can be a time set aside for focusing on the week’s blessings. Or, as a family, you can devote one night a week. Pencil it into your planner until it becomes a regular aspect of your life. God’s blessings are all around us, and it would be a shame to miss them.

Much like a telescope or binoculars must be focused to produce a clear picture; our hearts need to be focused on the good in our lives if we want to become thankful people.