Losing your keys
The word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia which means grace, gracious or grateful.Gratitude is recognizing the goodness in our life and being thankful for it. Gratitude is robbed of its power when we take things for granted – but we need to find this key again.Gratitude has the power to unlock the door of opportunity and is more than just a virtue. Gratitude can change our workplaces. A culture of gratitude will impact our co-workers, our clients and our companies. Psalm 100 uses gratitude as a way to enter into time spent with God. The message translations says”
“Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.”
Psalm 100:4 MSG
Gratitude has the power to create depth in any relationship. It has a unique power to connect people and it costs nothing. Gratitude is a chosen attitude (unlike thankfulness which is often a response.) When we have a grateful approach to life we often see God at work in the midst of life’s routine. A word of gratitude can be so meaningful to our employees. I have seen firsthand how a word of appreciation can give someone permission to be great and accelerate them into their gift and area of strength.
Start something Special
The giving of thanks also initiates great things. In a recent Gallup analysis, it was found that,
“Workplace appreciation motivates, provides a sense of accomplishment and makes employees feel valued for their work. Appreciation not only boosts individual employee engagement, but it also has been found to increase productivity and loyalty to the company, leading to higher retention.”
Thanksgiving is the precursor to many of the miracles in the bible. In the miraculous feeding of a multitude it says,
“…taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 14:19-21 NIV
An Attitude of Gratitude
It is important to recognize something about gratitude. Gratitude is not dependent on our circumstance. That means we don’t have to wait for a perfect situation or for the stars to align to exercise this powerful tool in life. You can choose to be grateful at any time. Sometimes, pulling out this key when you least expect it (in the midst of a down economy or a difficult staffing situation) can unlock your situation and you start to experience a new gracious lease on life. It will allow your creativity to flow, to think clearer and make better decisions.
The choice to complain in the same situation has a negative effect on us and our workplaces. It casts a heaviness and difficulty to rule the atmosphere. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10 that grumbling and complaining prevented the children of Israel from entering in to the promised land. Don’t close the door of opportunity by complaining. The way you respond matters. It often matters more than what happened. God can redeem any situation, gratitude invites him into your business. Let’s use gratitude as the gift it was intended to be in our workplaces.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”