A Practice for Growing in Gratitude
In Scripture, gratitude, or thankfulness, is a posture that shapes all of life. Work is one of the places it gets tested most.
In Colossians 3:17, Paul writes, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” A few verses later, he urges believers to work heartily, as for the Lord.
Notice that word whatever. Paul places thanksgiving right in the middle of ordinary life. A tense meeting, a phone call from school saying your son has a fever, or a monotonous task, don’t have to unsettle our hearts.
Choosing gratitude isn’t false positivity; it’s about reframing our response in light of what we know to be true about God.
Gratitude starts with receiving. Our abilities, opportunities, and even the work itself come to us as gifts before they become our accomplishments. The biblical writer James reminds us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
Gratitude reorients us. Many of us measure our days by what we produce, and our sense of worth can slide toward our output. Gratitude shifts our focus to goodness we don’t produce. Paul’s letters overflow with thanks for his coworkers, often by name. Who has made your work possible this year? Who deserves a word of thanks this week?
An Examen for Gratitude in our Work
The examen is a centuries-old prayer practice rooted in the teaching of the Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order commonly known as the Jesuits. It invites us to pay attention to how God is moving in each moment of our lives and work. Find a quiet spot at the end of your workday and prayerfully move through these five steps:
Become aware of God's presence. Take a few slow breaths. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see your day as God sees it. Growing in Gratitude for Our Work (feel free to substitute a snappier title)
Give thanks for the gifts of the day. Recall your workday hour by hour. Name three specific things you are grateful for: a conversation, a problem solved, a moment of beauty, a colleague's kindness.
Notice the people. Who served you today? Whose work made yours possible? Thank God for them by name, especially those whose contributions often go unseen.
Bring the hard parts honestly. Where did you feel discouraged, anxious, or depleted? Tell God about it plainly. Then ask: what remains true of God, even here?
Offer tomorrow back to God. Look ahead to tomorrow's work. Ask for grace to meet it with a thankful heart, and release what is beyond your control.
May you see God's faithfulness in the tasks he’s placed in your hands.
By Joanna Meyer
Founder and Executive Director of Women, Work, & Calling®
Joanna Meyer is the founder and executive director of Women, Work, & Calling, an international initiative of Denver Institute for Faith & Work. In the eleven years she has served at Denver Institute, Joanna also worked as Director of Public Engagement, and host of The Faith & Work Podcast. Before joining the Institute, she worked in global telecom, nonprofit consulting, and campus ministry with Cru. She also served as associate faculty of leadership development at Denver Seminary.
Joanna authored the award-winning book Women, Work, & Calling: Step into Your Place in God’s World (InterVarsity Press) and contributed to Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining His Mission through Our Work (B&H Books).