CHAPTER SIX
THANKFULNESS
Session Objective: To learn the biblical quality and skills around the idea of gratitude.
Practice: Thought transformation to reconstruct undesired thinking. Put thankfulness into action by identifying the gifts God has bestowed upon you and put this concept to use in relating to someone else.
Research indicates two interesting facts when it comes to the attitude and actions of gratitude. One conclusion is that thankfulness and joy are greatly associated with participating in pleasant activities, as well as moving away from pain and negativity. Another conclusion is that it is natural for people to experience a feeling of grateful happiness while also experiencing sadness, illness and other negative thoughts or emotions.
It’s hard to practice FCBT when you are dealing with a mental health issue. Thoughts of depression or anxiety tend to have a powerful impact on our perspectives of self, others, God and life in general. However, the easiest and most effective means to overcome unhappiness, struggles or hurdles is to identify any contributing thought pattern or emotional state that leads to a downward mood shift. Its easier to be happy when we are optimistically focusing on the positive. So a "quick shift" that is the most highly profitable is to do something positive, like a rewarding activity and redirect your thoughts from a negative pattern to a more balanced pattern, made more real through an abiding sense of God’s power, presence and peace.
The Bible is replete with admonitions and encouragements to be people of thankfulness. Even the angels are said to be praising God in His presence by focusing on who He is and what He has done. The whole of scripture can be boiled down to this calling upon the lives of those who are followers of Christ:
"Thank God in everything, no matter what the circumstances may be; be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God…"
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)
The verse is telling us that we will have difficult circumstances to travel through but these hardships or trials should not prevent us from expressing praise and thanking God for His many blessings. This is an instance where God is declaring that while life can be very tough at times we need to make a sacrifice.
If it were easy to snap our fingers in order to change thoughts, feelings or behaviors everyone would go for a quick fix. But God is telling us to rearrange or thoughts without waiting for the right mood. Conclusively, we are called to bless God through prayer, praise and worship whether or not our feelings happen to be grateful or needy. Scripture wouldn’t admonish us to be grateful and thankful in all times and in all circumstances if it were not possible. You are to physically, mentally and emotionally offer our sacrifice of thankfulness in whatever ways you are comfortable expressing them.
Don’t wait for when you are feeling "in the mood" to worship God or to participate in a spiritual practice. God’s thoughts are already inside of us by the power of the Holy Spirit. So even if we are feeling weak or down we are called to rely on His strengths not our own. In this manner God will get the credit as well.
40. SCQ:
HOME PRACTICE REVIEW
1. Transformation: Ps 34:17-19
2. Reflect on your prayer times this week? Are your thoughts negative? Can you see positive thoughts and emotions? Describe these:
3. Mood Scoring Exercise (same as prior weeks)
4. Did you have the chance to meet with or talk to another person from your fait h community? How did that go?
5. How did you do with the forgiveness and repentance process this week past? List more items, pray about the issues and/or communicate with someone you trust about this matter.
THANKFULNESS ACTIVITIES
In the upcoming pages you will find two thankfulness activities for you to complete. They will help you bring to mind things in your past that you can be grateful for and even celebrate (better late than never).
1. Complete the two forms in this section on thankfulness.
2. Answer the questions posed on these pages.
3. Thankfulness is the result of "Thought Transformation" which you are learning how to control. Let’s go through the ABCDE worksheet now. I want you to review your gratitude lists preceding the filling out of this form. This time, see if you can reconstruct your thoughts when your beliefs or feelings were leading you down. Challenge instances and dispute beliefs with a paradigm of thankfulness.
41. SCQ:
42. SCQ:
43. SCQ:
THANKFULNESS ACTIVITY 1
Numbering the gifts and blessings we have received.
1. On a 1 -10 scale how would you rate your state of mind right now? 10 would correlate with the happiest score and 1 would be the lowest:
2. List below 2 – 3 of the top good things God has either promoted or allowed to bless your life. These items may include things, activities/events, opportunities, situations, goals, aspects of your character and natural abilities, including interests and personality strengths.
3. Use the backside of the page or a journal for more entries. Review your thankful items and give each a 1 – 10 rating where 10 equates to the most grateful.
4. Ask yourself the same question as in #1 above. Do you feel better having completed this thankfulness activity?
THANKFULNESS ACTIVITY 2
Relishing Victories
List the three people in your life current or past that had a particularly meaningful or significant impact on you. Think about your sense of thankfulness and the gratitude you have for these gifts. (Whether they had a big or longstanding impression or a smaller or short term impression)
1. Identify one person from the aforementioned list that had the greatest positive impact on you. What is their name and the most memorable blessing you received from them.
2. Write down the greatest qualities the person exhibited or exhibits currently.
3. Thankfulness Note: Write a card or letter to this person. You can mail it, personally hand it to them and/or read the words out loud
4. Thankfulness Interaction: Call and/or meet with them to express your gratitude