Rewards and Gratitude
Starting this blog, I dove into professional journals and pop psychology for what has been most recently written on gratitude. I read the couple’s Bill of Rights - how I have the right to gratitude from the other person. After all, as Americans, we demand our rights even in relationships, right? The author suggests doing some things you wish your better half would do for you (Matthes, 2018). Sounds indirect and may be doomed to failure. Mature love would say that you do the things the other person interprets as loving instead of trying to elicit or negotiate gratitude. Those main topics in the article and what is cited as love in 1 Cor 13.3-7 (The Message) may elicit gratitude or may leave you feeling worn out and like the martyr in your relationship. Another article in Psych Today cited a book (Webber, 2017) that recommends counting your blessings by comparing your circumstances favorably to your family of past generations, i.e. being grateful for clean water, peace, and religious freedom. Comparison is not something I find recommended in Scriptures. Trying to attain a grateful spirit by either experiencing others’ gratitude or comparison is as genuine as celebrating Thanksgiving without thanking the giver, our generous Father. A study on gratitude brought out the importance of the affective and relational aspect of religion (Tudder 2107). Ultimately gratitude is an existential experience that is a result of spiritual well-being.
Speaking of spiritual well-being, at the same time as reading these journals I reflected on what I have been given when I received Christ. I am so encouraged in my faith and grateful for the long list of who I am in Christ (see blog - Who Am I? 2018). Truly these things are priceless treasures. This is the way God sees me - I am in Christ and he is the source of all spiritual well-being!
If anyone inspires gratitude it is Jesus, the one we know in the Gospels and through the Holy Spirit. His Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 6 is said to summarize the path to wholeness. It is a list of ways we can consider ourselves blessed. Blessed means I can feel outrageously grateful for the blessing. Blessed for being meek, persecuted and spiritually poor? For mourning, for hungering and thirsting for righteousness? In Matthew 6 I believe the blessing comes from drawing close to my Father (Son and Holy Spirit) for comfort and wisdom, and He responds by drawing near to me. Being blessed in my mind is knowing that God came to serve me and now He empowers me to serve Him.
Reading further, that doesn’t seem to be the blessing Jesus refers to - Jesus said that I can rejoice that my reward in heaven will be great. This is an area of my life where I don’t find reward motivating. I feel that the goodness of what He wills me to do should be reward enough. Obviously that is not what Jesus teaches.
What will be my reward in heaven and how can I be grateful for it? I go to Revelation for some of the answers.
In Revelation 21 it says that:
There will be a new heaven and new earth - whole and healthy.
It will be beautiful, rare and pure - like the best of what gold, jewels, pearls, precious stones, and a bride are meant to be.
This will be a place of life, light, comfort, inclusiveness, and healing established by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - three persons, One God.
He will wipe every tear from our eyes and there will be no more death, mourning, sadness or sorrow.
We will claim our entire inheritance as children of God, co-heirs with Christ.
He will physically light the city and live there with us - the New Jerusalem.
I will have the freedom to go in and out - He is not a control freak or manipulative.
In Romans 8 it says:
There will be no more death or decay or groaning about all of this chaos.
All creation will be redeemed along with all believers.
God’s love will be manifest in all His beauty and truth.
His kingdom will be visible to those who love Him and are called by His name - Christians (little Christs).
From the sublime, I return to the pragmatic. What I have re-learned recently is that in order to be grateful for something, I must receive it. I can’t stand arm’s length away and expect to gain any benefits without embracing the gift. My heart has to be open to the giver and the gift. In addition have to enjoy the gift to reap the benefits, otherwise, it will be left in the back of my bedroom closet forgotten. The same with future rewards. I can leave them in the paper pile or a blog and not reflect on them. However, reflection can bring these things of heaven into my daily life. When I look around, I can see and taste glimpses of what heaven will be. When I look into people’s faces/being - I can bring the image of God into my daily experience. Jesus came to bring God’s kingdom to earth and it continues to grow like that mustard seed into a massive tree. One day when we are all healed and restored; we will see how truly beautiful God’s plan and ways have been; so grateful to be a part of His family.
References:
Matthes, (2018, December) Your Relationship Bill of Rights, Psychology Today, 79.
Tudder, A. ,Buettner, K., & Brelsford, G. (2017) Spiritual Well-Being and Gratitude: The Role of Positive Affect and Affect Intensity. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 36(2), 121-129.
Webber, R. (2017, December) Mirror, Mirror: YOU DO YOU!, Psychology Today, 61.
