This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

[Excerpted from Let Gratitude Show You the Way: A 21-Day Devotional Guide, Herald House, 2012, p. 7]

Gratitude is about exploring the depths of the life you already have. It’s not about creating a vision of who you want to be or imagining someplace you want to go. It’s about focusing on the life you have right now and who you are today.

Your experiences matters. So if you want to feel grateful, look for the good you are experiencing in the present moment. Do not reserve your gratitude for the big, life-changing conditions such as your health, economic circumstance, or for loved ones. In every moment your life is being impacted by all sorts of small and often ordinary ways: the color of the sky, the shelter of your home, the peacefulness of the neighborhood, the taste of your coffee, the softness of the chair, the sounds of nature, or the alertness of your mind right now.

Prayer Phrase

“…give thanks in all circumstances” (Thessalonians 5:18).

Practice Gratitude

Set aside an intentional time every day to:

1. Read a daily reflection.
2. Prayerfully reflect on your day (or previous day).
3. Ask the question, “What am I grateful for today?”
4. Write it down.

Expressions of gratitude don’t need to be sappy and tearful, just sincere and heartfelt. It can be for the little and the big things in life; it can also be for the ordinary and the mundane. First thing in the morning? Middle of the day? Last thing at night? It doesn’t matter when. It matters that you do it the same time every day and you are consistent.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.