Article November 25, 1996 Issue

When you say grace, what do you expect?

Diane E. Wolfe

The Bible advises us, in the words of St. Paul, "In every thing give thanks" (I Thess. 5:18). In everything? Now, we all say "thank you" many times a day, to someone giving us change or answering a question or helping us in some way. But Paul is doing more than reminding us to be polite. He is calling upon us to maintain a constant attitude of gratitude.

Look again at Paul's statement in full: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." It is the will of God that we give thanks. It's not this person or that person who demands our gratitude. Our ready thanks, rather, turn us to God.

Gratitude is a happy, active state of thought that is ready and willing to acknowledge God as the source of all the good already present in our lives. Science and Health asks: "Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more" (p. 3). Active gratitude makes use of the good at hand, bringing out good in the minutiae of our lives. Such grateful living prepares us to recognize more blessings coming our way from God.

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