Gratitude – Thankful – Really?

It was interesting to me that when I went to Webster’s Dictionary that I found “gratitude” defined as being thankful and “thankful” defined as having gratitude. Hmmm. Neither word describes what I feel in my heart when I think of “gratitude” and “thankful”.

It’s a deep feeling that is not the same as when I say, “Thanks” to a waiter for refilling my tea glass. Although I am appreciative for his service, when I consider areas that birth gratitude inside of me, it is more.

I have gratitude for the friends who came to my home when my son died. One of them moved in for almost week. She cooked. She cleaned. She allowed me to do whatever I wanted or needed to do but when I would stop mid-task, overwhelmed, she would just step next to me and continue the task. Our family still remembers the awesome blueberry pancakes!

I think gratitude is hard to define. First, because it means that I needed something that I couldn’t provide for myself. So there is this ‘pride thing’. It is a ‘control thing’. I like to think I am the captain of my own ship.

Second, gratitude has at its core – love. When I feel gratitude toward someone, they have touched my heart.

In my case, this all leads to Jesus. When I realized that I needed a savior and I accepted Jesus as the only One who could save me, that wall around my heart was broken. I was broken and put back together – a new creation. And gratitude? I am still grateful 15 years later! I am awed and humbled by the love from my LORD and Savior. I am so very thankful! Really.

(This post is part of the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival on Gratitude.)