See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. —1 Thessalonians 5:15-19

“We are created for joy. We are born for joy.” —Jürgen Moltmann

“Joy is the happiness that does not depend on what happens. It is the grateful response to the opportunity that life offers you at this moment.” —Brother David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine Monk and Scholar

The four qualities of the

that lead to joy are perspective, humility, humor, and acceptance.

The four qualities of the

that lead to joy are forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity.

Last Week: Forgiveness is the only way to

ourselves and to be free from the past.

“Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself, to be at peace, to be happy and to be able to sleep at night. You don’t forgive because you are weak but because you are strong enough to realize that only by giving up on resentment will you be happy.” —Luminita D. Saviuc in “15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy”

My Additional Notes:

This Week: Gratitude

Gratitude allows us to see what is

and

Reveal Answer

, and not just what is bad and wrong. (Philippians 1:3-4)

“If we face the sun the shadows will fall behind us, but if we turn our backs on the sun all the shadows will be in front.” —William Barclay

If you want to be

, find some rich friends. If you want to be rich, find some poor friends.

Grateful people report

life satisfaction as well as

Reveal Answer

levels of stress and depression.

Gratitude improves

, bolsters friendships, and makes us more patient, more generous and less materialistic.

“Gratitude isn’t a feeling… It is a practice.” —Arthur Brooks, Social Scientist who studies human happiness

Gratitude is not a matter of circumstance, but a matter of the

. (Philippians 4:12-14)

“When you are grateful, you are not fearful, and when you are not fearful, you are not violent… If you are grateful, you are enjoying the differences between people and respectful to all people. A grateful world is a world of joyful people. Grateful people are joyful people. A grateful world is a happy world.” —Brother David Steindl-Rast

Gratitude

. Envy

Reveal Answer

.

Suffering comes from, “Envy toward the above, competitiveness toward the equal, and contempt toward the lower.” —Tibetan Teaching

My Additional Notes:

The Problem of Envy

The problem of envy has been around since the time of

and the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:13-17)

“Envy doesn’t leave room for joy.” —Douglas Abrams

is the thief of joy and gratitude.

One of the ugliest and most embarrassing words to describe someone is

.

“Acceptance means not fighting reality. Gratitude means embracing reality. It means moving from counting your burdens to counting your blessings…” —Douglas Abrams

Our sacred scriptures teach us to rejoice

, pray, and give thanks

Reveal Answer

all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.” —Brother David Steindl-Rast

You can’t

and be grateful at the same time. (Psalm 136:1-3)

“Gratitude involves not only what we feel, but also what we do. Gratitude now and in the future arises from practice.” —Diana Butler-Bass

Gratitude is a

. (Luke 17:11-19)

Gratitude is not a transaction but a free response to a

.

Unexpressed gratitude is

at all.

My Additional Notes:

Action Steps

Start a gratitude list today, regardless of your

.

Take a quiet

and repeat the phrase, “I am blessed, and I will bless others.”

To increase your sense of gratitude by 11% (on average), contemplate your

.