Giving thanks has life-changing impact, Jesuit priest and psychologist Fr. Charles Shelton says
A natural sequel to my last post:
Fr. Charles Shelton –a Jesuit priest, psychologist, and the author of a new book on gratitude– says that the choice to live gratefully can help to improve virtually every aspect of a person’s life.
The multi-talented priest, a professor of psychology at Denver’s Regis University, recently published “The Gratitude Factor,” a book that examines the importance of giving thanks for one’s work, leisure, relationships, and other everyday experiences of God’s grace.
Fr. Shelton has made notable contributions to the field of “positive psychology,” a branch of the social science which studies the cultivation of virtue and well-being. “The Gratitude Factor” combines his work in the field with an emphatic focus on Christian spirituality, in the tradition of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Speaking to CNA on Nov. 20, he explained how the choice to live gratefully, even in the midst of difficulty, could profoundly change one’s experience of the world. Gratitude, he said, gives depth to the experience of joy, and profound meaning to less desirable tasks– by “re-framing” both as important aspects of the life that one receives from God.
He stressed that gratitude, for Christians, comes most of all from understanding that “we are God’s sons and daughters, and Jesus’ brothers and sisters.” That “core experience” is “channeled, through our hearts, into various commitments” that allow believers to share God’s gifts to them with others.
“The more we can carve out some time to reflect on that (identity) in our lives,” he offered, “the more rich they become.” He described the fatherhood of God as a “centering point” for Christian gratitude, allowing the entire range of human experiences to be viewed as God-given responsibilities.
Tags: Christian Life
November 26th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
[...] HT: Stuart [...]
November 26th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
@ Webmaster: A key message of Alcoholics Anonymous is that gratitude is the key to sobriety. Self pity is one of the emotions strongly linked to drinking and relapse. As none of us can feel both self-pity and gratitude at the same time, we sober alcoholics focus a lot on gratitude.
As you say, having a warm safe home with food, water and other utilities puts us among the wealthiest and most privileged people in the world. I do often feel grateful for this – particularly for the security that means we don’t have to fear oppressive police or raiding war parties, as so many do in Africa. I am frequently grateful for the NHS: with a chronically sick child and my own poor health I have a lot to be thankful for.
Put it like this – I’ve been sober for 21 years – so I must be pretty grateful.
November 26th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Thanks Sophie, that’s really positive and informative!
ps 21 free from any addiction is absolutely fantastic!
And you’re right, Self-pity leads to so much negative and destructive emotions and actions, it really can be a living hell when in the grip of it….
November 27th, 2010 at 10:09 am
And talking about negative and destructive – as I said, stop reading Ekklesia and you will be truly grateful!
(Gratitude being the point here.)
November 27th, 2010 at 11:06 am
@Jill