By LeAnn Hampton
Today, Christ the King Sunday, is the last Sunday of the church year. This is also Thanksgiving week, and next Sunday will mark the beginning of Advent. And so begins the holiday season. How are you feeling about this time of year? Calm, peaceful, thankful and happily rejoicing? Maybe frazzled and wondering how you can get everything done? Or you might be feeling lonely, empty and wondering whether you have the strength to make it through these days. Are you feeling grateful, or would grumpy be a better description?
Years ago, my job involved supervising a large team, and we were going through a challenging time. Grumpiness and discontent were commonplace, and I was trying to find a way to get us back on track. I stumbled upon some research indicating it was almost impossible to be grumpy and grateful at the same time. After sharing that nugget of wisdom with my team, I don’t recall any miraculous changes in anyone’s attitude except mine. Even now the phrase seems to suddenly float through my mind on the days when the challenges of life seem insurmountable.
Gratitude is easy when everything is going well, but the challenge comes when the world seems to be spinning out of control and nothing feels right. Becoming a grateful person takes effort and practice. For people of faith, practicing gratitude can be a spiritual discipline.
As our time of worship begins today, take a deep breath, sit quietly and begin to focus on those things for which you can express gratitude. Let’s start with the things that do not change. Psalm 93 reminds us of the eternal attributes of God — strength, majesty, power, holiness. Our hymns remind us of God’s unfailing love, generosity, mercies and grace. And we are reminded that in this broken world, Christ still reigns as the King.
The good news for all of us is whether we’re grateful or grumpy, God is here with us, knowing our weaknesses, understanding our emotions and reminding us we are loved. For that, we are truly grateful.