With Thanksgiving tomorrow gratitude has been on my mind. Sister John pointed out to me a scripture that has really got me thinking even more about gratitude. It is in Alma 10:5 and it is Amulek speaking of his conversion as a missionary in his home town. This is what he says, "Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people." What Sister John pointed out to me is that Amulek had had God's hand in his life all along, but he hadn't always noticed it. Looking back now, he sees that the Lord has been there every step of the way in his life. He even sees clear back to his fathers and all that they have been delivered from and how grateful he is for that. In short, he begins to have true gratitude in his heart. My mother has a similar idea that is probably currently sitting in some prominent area of her home. Every November she gets out a fake bonsai apple tree and places a wooden figurine of a hog or pig under neath. She has a quote that says something along the lines of "ingratitude is like a pig eating apples and never looking up to see the tree they come from". As I have thought of these things I realized something; gratitude truly is for us. Like any other commandment from our loving Heavenly Father it is for our benefit. Think of the fruits of gratitude-contentment, selflessness, closeness to God, joy, a feeling of peace with what you have, a heart full of love for those people around you... The list goes on and on. I know when I take a step back and think of everything I have been given and all that I have and all that the Lord has promised we will have as we endure I cannot help but feel overwhelmed by a peace and love for life, my Savior, and my family. In essence, I have found that I am happiest when I am grateful. I am most full of charity when I am grateful. I am more like my Savior when I am grateful. And now, I realize, that it is a commandment with blessings, just like any other commandment we are given. So, though I know that gratitude should come out of sincere love, respect, and awareness of our Heavenly Father, I also know that He has asked to be grateful not really much for His sake, but for ours. I have come to realize it is just another gift from Him for the betterment of our lives. I have come to realize that gratitude is a gift we give ourselves by commandment of our Father above. And so, I have found that I have yet another great thing to be grateful for this Thanksgiving: gratitude. May we all fill our hearts with it so that we can truly enjoy this season of blessings and begin to have the happiness and joy that comes from a heart full of thanksgiving for our God.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Gratitude: A Heart of Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving tomorrow gratitude has been on my mind. Sister John pointed out to me a scripture that has really got me thinking even more about gratitude. It is in Alma 10:5 and it is Amulek speaking of his conversion as a missionary in his home town. This is what he says, "Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people." What Sister John pointed out to me is that Amulek had had God's hand in his life all along, but he hadn't always noticed it. Looking back now, he sees that the Lord has been there every step of the way in his life. He even sees clear back to his fathers and all that they have been delivered from and how grateful he is for that. In short, he begins to have true gratitude in his heart. My mother has a similar idea that is probably currently sitting in some prominent area of her home. Every November she gets out a fake bonsai apple tree and places a wooden figurine of a hog or pig under neath. She has a quote that says something along the lines of "ingratitude is like a pig eating apples and never looking up to see the tree they come from". As I have thought of these things I realized something; gratitude truly is for us. Like any other commandment from our loving Heavenly Father it is for our benefit. Think of the fruits of gratitude-contentment, selflessness, closeness to God, joy, a feeling of peace with what you have, a heart full of love for those people around you... The list goes on and on. I know when I take a step back and think of everything I have been given and all that I have and all that the Lord has promised we will have as we endure I cannot help but feel overwhelmed by a peace and love for life, my Savior, and my family. In essence, I have found that I am happiest when I am grateful. I am most full of charity when I am grateful. I am more like my Savior when I am grateful. And now, I realize, that it is a commandment with blessings, just like any other commandment we are given. So, though I know that gratitude should come out of sincere love, respect, and awareness of our Heavenly Father, I also know that He has asked to be grateful not really much for His sake, but for ours. I have come to realize it is just another gift from Him for the betterment of our lives. I have come to realize that gratitude is a gift we give ourselves by commandment of our Father above. And so, I have found that I have yet another great thing to be grateful for this Thanksgiving: gratitude. May we all fill our hearts with it so that we can truly enjoy this season of blessings and begin to have the happiness and joy that comes from a heart full of thanksgiving for our God.
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