The Blessing of Gratitude

Gratitude.  You hear about it all the time at Church, School, from your mom, the neighbor that is always at your house for dinner. People are grateful for the food, grateful for their testimonies, grateful for pretty much anything you can think of...the list goes on...
But what does it mean to be Grateful?  Is it to make sure that you always say thank you when someone does something kind? To tell everyone and their cousin about the gratitude you feel in your heart for your latest life changing blessing? Is gratitude a contest?
It seems as though it has become just that: a contest.  People are always trying to "one-up" each other to see who has the most gratitude, the most humility.  Um, NEWS FLASH! That behavior isn't grateful or humble.  It is proud and conceited. 
Gratitude is not about bragging.  Everything good that we are is of the Lord.  Our life is upheld by Him and gratitude is our way of acknowledging His glory.  We MUST share with others the joy that we feel, but not by showboating out blessings.
Being grateful does not mean that the whole world needs to know about what happened.  Showing gratitude to the Lord can be quiet, meek, and often is most effective by humbly serving others.  Gratitude can change the hearts of men.  It is a combines the realization that without Him we are nothing, and the understanding that because of Him we are everything.  Being truly grateful is an attitude displayed in our every action.  The kind words we speak, the kind deeds we perform, the quiet prayers of thankfulness, the expression of our appreciation to others. 
If you have gratitude in your heart let people know.  Although it is never appropriate to boast and brag about the ways the Lord has blessed us, sometimes we must acknowledge Him publicly.  Sometimes, we need to share with others the mountains that have been moved in our lives.  Sharing our blessings with others is exactly what the Lord would have us do.  How can others understand gratitude if we do not exhibit it ourselves?
As we let Him know of our gratitude, He will continue to bless us.  We must then use those blessings to help those around us.  How much are we given that we do not give back? How much do we complain about when our time could be better spent?  Think of the ways you show your gratitude? How much better would the world be if everyone just said thank you?

(Isn't this quote wonderful? I found this on an image search for gratitude.)

Let the Lord bless you, and thank Him by doing something to brighten someone's day.