Midweek Faith Lift
November 22, 2023
The Power of Gratitude
Rev. Deb Hill-Davis
Spiritual Reflection
November 7, 2023
A tiny wooden shed perched on a cliff in southern China has earned the nickname of “most inconvenient convenience store” in the country. Hanging 3940 feet above the ground in the Shiniuzhai Scenic Area, the little shop replenishes climbers with drinks and light refreshments. Staff members climb to the store every day, carrying supplies.
“When you trust that the Universe is providing for the needs of your soul, that trust allows for the experience of bliss.” – Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul
Affirmative prayer: I’m thankful to know that right where I am, God is. That all I need for a safe, fulfilling journey is provided. To quote Hafiz, “The place where I am right now, God circled on a map for me. Wherever my eyes and arms and heart move against earth and sky, the Beloved has bowed there, knowing I was coming.” Thank you, God, forever. Amen.
Can you imagine the incredible feeling of gratitude that you would experience if you were a climber in need of supplies, refreshment and water and found this incredible “inconveniet convenience” store on the side of a mountain? That would be enough gratitude to power you all the rest of the way up the mountain for sure. An attitude of gratitude brings altitude! An attitude of gratitude brings altitude! It lifts your consciousness and energy to a higher level from which perspective you are able to regard the events and circumstances of your life and in your life with compassion, mercy, grace and true appreciation, no matter what.
That is the big catch with gratitude, to be grateful right here, right now, no matter what your circumstances or situation. Let me say that again, an attitude of gratitude means that I am grateful right here, right now for the circumstances of my life. To practice an attitude of gratitude with true sincerity and honesty when it seems like the least reasonable option is the power of gratitude in action, in motion. It is a heavy lift, for sure, but the practice of gratitude and the outcomes are amazing and do literally power you up and over the mountains of your life, through the turbulence.
Now, think about the word attitude. We usually consider the word attitude to mean an emotional response, a settled way of thinking about someone or some thing and we use it to describe a lot of negative stances; a condescending attitude, a tough attitude and inflexible attitude and so on. We develop these positions or “attitudes” because of life experiences, which have knocked us around a bit and we hold on to them to keep us safe when there is turbulence. Attitude and chip on your shoulder, especially in teenagers as well as adults is something we all recognize and feel and don’t particularly enjoy. It may look like it makes for a smooth ride for the “attitude” holder, but it is usually a pretty bumpy ride for everyone else.
It is interesting that aviation uses the same term “attitude” to describe how the plane is oriented in space and how the pilot manages the plane in the event of what they call “rough air.” I looked this up so that I could understand the dynamics of how the pilot manages to keep the plane level in a safe flying attitude so as to maintain altitude in the air. There are dynamics such as pitch, yaw, roll and heading which are movements around the center of gravity in the plane along both the vertical and horizontal lines through the plane. The need is to maintain a calm, steady attitude so that the plane can take off, fly and then land in the right order! How to do that in the face of turbulence takes a skilled and experienced pilot, for whom I have felt enormous gratitude when finally back on the ground!
Well, friends, when we embrace and practice an attitude of gratitude in the face of all that is flying about us in our life, then we are like that skilled pilot, keeping our own internal plane level, centered and safe. As Gary Zukov said, “We trust that the Universe provides” for the needs of our soul and that all we need will be provided. We let go of demanding that our good should come to us in a specific way and at a specific time and cultivate faith and an attitude of gratitude that lifts us up in consciousness, no matter what. This is how we stay centered, calm and uplifted in the face of all that we experience.
In the words of Melodie Beattie:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order and confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."
Wow, it is powerful!
In the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke: “ From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.—Luke 12:48 We have all been given, at minimum, the gift of life, and so often we do not have a sufficient gratitude practice to maintain an attitude of gratitude for our very life. Just like the skilled pilot of the airplane, we have to consistently practice a gratitude response in order to actually cultivate an attitude of gratitude that brings altitude. When we practice gratitude we allow the flow of our good, both to us and through us. When we hold onto the energy of offense, of hurt, of being wronged, of resentment, that cultivates an attitude, which ultimately blocks the flow of our good.
In his November 10, 2023 blog, “Allowing the Flow” Richard Rohr puts it like this:
In the world of grace and freedom, for a channel to be opened, it must flow forward, through, and toward something else—or the channel becomes blocked. Negative energy and intention produce a negative energy response—usually quite quickly. We clamp on to it like Velcro. In contrast, positive energy and intention produce positive energy outflow—if not now, eventually. The positive and appreciative response demands consciousness and choice—and freedom on our part. Otherwise, it slides off us like Teflon. Appreciation and gratitude must be chosen.
We usually do not recognize or appreciate all that we have been given gratuitously (the “free flow”). Instead, we often concentrate on how we have been offended. The negative rebound that we send back to another is almost always immediate—and unrecognized as negative energy on our part. We need to work and pray for most of our lives to recognize and resist this game.
An attitude of gratitude opens the flow of our good and we remember that we do not receive our good at anyone else’s expense and vice versa, their good does not come at our expense, not ultimately, for sure. We believe that the Universe provides all that we need when we need it. There is enough air for us to all breathe and enough air for the plane to fly. Our ability to hold the rudder steady in the face of turbulence is what happens when we cultivate and practice an attitude of gratitude. It is simple, but it is not easy…..it is part of the “much that is expected” of us and it serves us well when we navigate really turbulent times in our lives.
It is important to note that we are maintaining this attitude of gratitude in everything, not for everything. We cultivate the attitude of gratitude so that our heart stays open and we don’t lapse into resentment and cynicism. As Scott Awbrey writes in his November 13, 2023 Thanksgiving blog:
"Gratitude is the perception that all is well. That doesn't mean we have to be thankful for the crummy stuff going on. The scripture says, (1 Thessalonians 5:18): "In everything give thanks." In everything, not for all things. We can sustain a grateful heart even when circumstances don't appear to warrant it. That's living in a state of grace, living in gratitude."
That is the “attitude of gratitude that brings altitude” that we want for our lives and for all beings. When we can attain that, we will no longer have the desire for revenge or to strike back or seek retribution. Prayer has been described as “Contemplation of the facts from the highest point of view” which is ultimately the “God point of view.” What is the prayer that God is praying for you? How is it that God wants an attitude of gratitude to show up in your life, in your interactions with others? What is blocking the flow, and how do you let it go? These are all a part of the practice of gratitude, the real deal that builds spiritual muscle and expands, deepens and raises our consciousness!
“Happiness cannot be traveled, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
~ Denis Waitley
Happy Thanksgiving!
Blessings on the Path,
Rev. Deb